Physiotherapy is hardly practised in Niger, the only hospital endowed with a physiotherapy department is in Niamey, the capital. Our project aims at contributing to developing it in other cities in Niger, to the benefit of the most underpriviledged patients, while enabling young physiotherapists from France to stay on ethical work placements in Niger.

The birth of the project.

Sabrina, Sandra and Camille, who graduated in June 2007, stayed from January to March 2008 at the hospital in Niamey, the capital of Niger, on a Tarbiyya Tatali mission. There they worked in the public wards, with patients who can’t pay for treatment. Those public wards lack physiotherapists, though they are needed. When they came back to France, the service they had created had to close.

The aim of the project.

The first target is to develop and maintain the physiotherapy department for public ward patients in Niamey, by engaging a young Nigerien physiotherapist, probably a young woman, who would work with French volunteers on short stays. The second target would be to open a similar service in Dogon Doutchi hospital, which is devoid of physiotherapy.

Implementation.

AECIN agreed to fund the wages of the Nigerien physiotherapist, from the 2009 third quarter.

One thousand five hundred euros should cover the initial stage of the project, as French volunteers pay for their own expenses. Amélie, a physiotherapist from Amiens took over from late September to late December 2009, working jointly with the new Nigerien colleague. Estelle, a physio from Rennes, and Marie, are taking over from January to March. More volunteers keep applying.