The hospital has grown to around 150 beds and has separate wards for surgery, maternity, and medicine/pediatrics. In addition, there is a lab, pharmacy, radiology department, and separate outpatient clinics for "under 5s" and "6 and overs".
The hospital is run by SIM, formerly known as "Sudan Interior Mission" and "Serving in Mission", though the French sometimes call it Societe Internationale Missionaire. Longterm docs include 3 primary care, an obstetrician, and 2 general surgeons (one who is Nigerien). They are assisted by those of us who come for various durations of short term service. Galmi Hospital is a PAACS (Pan African Academy of Christian Surgeons) training site and currently has 5 African physicians who are going through this rigorous 5 year program in general surgery.
The picture above is near the front gate to the compound.
This is the view from just outside the hospital gate, looking down the road back towards Niamey. There are many small shops and booths, made of metal, wood, and an adobe-like material that is a combination of mud, donkey dung, and stones.
.........A few facts about the country of Niger: The population is 18 million. Ninety seven percent are of the M*slim faith and 0.33% Christian. The literacy rate is 27% for men and 11% for women. Men have an average life expectancy of 54 and women 56 years. There is a measure of infant mortality which looks at the number per 1000 live births who do not survive to age 1 - in Niger, that number is 84; in the US, it is 6. The Gross Domestic Product per capita in Niger is $1100; in the US, it $56,000.
These cute little lizards are EVERYWHERE, ranging from 3 to 12 inches - they scurry about eating bugs and cause us no harm.
Speaking of bugs, there are many!! Here is a grasshopper that is nearly as long as my index finger - we have been told that they are quite tasty and high in protein!! ......but we are vegetarians so may not find out!!!😊
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