MEDICAL FACILITIES IN NIGER IN CRITICAL CONDITION

UNCLAS NIAMEY 001170 DEPT FOR M/MED SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AMGT AMED CASC EAID NG SUBJECT: MEDICAL FACILITIES IN NIGER IN CRITICAL CONDITION ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The newly-arrived FSHP has completed her tour of medical facilities in Niamey to assess availability of emergency care. Aging equipment and lack of repair facilities in country have resulted in extremely limited capabilities to support basic testing. Immediate medical evacuation would be essential in any life-threatening emergency. END SUMMARY ¶2. (SBU) The FSHP completed facility visits to the National and Military Hospitals as well as Gamkalley Clinic, which is a private not-for-profit facility in Niamey. The radiology capacities in all three facilities are experiencing critical equipment failures. MRI capacity in Niger is currently nonexistent. The country's sole CT scanner at the National Hospital is nonfunctional at present and there is no plan in place to undertake the necessary repairs. Two of the three x-ray machines at the National Hospital are also out of service. The hospital engineer voiced his concerns about the reliability of the one operable x-ray machine. Equipment failure of the sole functioning machine would leave this 700+ bed hospital without any x-ray capabilities. According to the engineer, the capacity of all radiological equipment at the National Hospital is tenuous due to chronic power fluctuations, extreme heat, and dust infiltration. The National Hospital is the referral center for virtually all local private and public facilities in country. ¶3. (SBU) The Military Hospital has similar issues and is currently deferring to the National Hospital for radiologic diagnostic procedures. The staff radiologist indicated that maintenance and repair problems have left the Military Hospital without ultrasound capability and unreliable x-ray capabilities. Existing equipment at the Military Hospital was donated by the U.S. military years ago. ¶4. (SBU) Niamey's premier private facility is Gamkalley Clinic. The clinic has provided medical support to the diplomatic community since its establishment in 1965. Prior to the assignment of an FSHP to Niamey, the Embassy relied exclusively on Gamkalley Clinic for medical support. The clinic continues to provide emergency back- up for the Embassy. The facility includes a two-bed intensive care unit with trained staff and limited radiology and ultrasound capability. In 2007, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which had historically provided financial support to the clinic, withdrew its funding. Since that time, Gamkalley has struggled to maintain services and remain solvent. The Medical Director recently requested an appointment with the Embassy to discuss equipment needs in an effort to identify new sources of support. The most pressing need is replacement of an ultrasound machine; however, even the clinic's X-ray equipment is more than 30 years old. Future break-downs could leave the clinic unable to locate necessary replacement parts or repair the equipment. Unable to provide adequate services, the clinic's continued operation could be endangered. ¶5. (SBU) Local radiologic equipment failures have grossly impacted the health and safety of every citizen in country. The resident expatriate community (diplomats, business persons, Peace Corps and NGO personnel, etc.)has no reliable alternative sources of medical support locally and would be dependent on immediate medical evacuation in a life-threatening emergency. ALLEN