Aid In Sokoto

 There is a permanent Noma Children's Hospital in Sokoto, Nigeria

In 1996, AWD-Stifung Kinderhilfe sent its first medical team to Sokoto, a remote and dusty town in a savannah region, just south of the Sahara in North West Nigeria to investigate the possibilities of establishing an ongoing humanitarian project for the surgical rehabilitation of children who had survived the ravages of Noma. This project was conceived in conjunction with the German NGO and the team was made up of Dutch and German medical specialists and theatre nurses.

The second visiting team returned to Sokoto the following year when it became apparent that the project had the potential for a lasting humanitarian aid programme. The government of Sokoto State, in particular the Ministry of Health gave its generous support by starting the construction of a purpose built clinic for Noma victims. On the 17th September 1999, the Noma Children Hospital was officially opened by the Nigerian President Olesogun Obasanjo. As a result, the project has been definitely accepted at Nigerian Federal Government level.

The Noma Children Hospital - Sokoto

 A surgical team at work within the hospital.

The Noma Children Hospital Sokoto proposes to become an international centre for research and treatment of Noma and training of health personnel. It is the first of its kind in the West African sub region.

The hospital has 75 beds and basic facilities for visiting and accompanying parents/guardians. It has a full time staff of Nigerian nurses and three medical doctors, two residents and one paediatric surgeon. The other medical specialist is a German paediatric surgeon who is also the medical director of the hospital.

The hospital is partially funded by the Nigerian government, but much outside help is needed. Together, AWD Stiftung Kinderhilfe (Germany), The Dutch Noma Foundation, Interplast (France) and Facing Africa cover the remaining running costs as well as funding the medical expeditions. At the moment, there are four expeditions a year, with each team consisting of two or three plastic or maxillofacial surgeons, two anaesthetists and two scrub nurses. The cost of sending each team is around £40,000 most of which is to cover the costs of travel and medical supplies. The surgeons and nurses give their time and expertise on a voluntary basis

 Inside the hospital.

Each visiting team spends two weeks in Sokoto and is generally able to perform 100 - 120 operations, mostly on children suffering the horrible and ongoing consequences of Noma as well some reconstructive operation on cleft lips, facial tumors and burns. Once dates are established for a visiting medical team, children are admitted two weeks in advance in order to improve their nutritional condition and pre-op screening. After the team's departure, most of the patients need to stay in the hospital for a recovery period as well as further, less complicated treatment and for rehabilitation of trismus (learning to use their jaws to speak and eat).

Having our own hospital in Nigeria not only has the advantage that the complicated operations can be done much more cheaply than in Europe, but also makes sure that the patients are not torn out from their society but are looked after by their families. Loving affection and care are indispensable for the recovery progress after such serious operations. This commitment is worthwhile: hundreds of little patients have become surgically rehabilitated and have been given the chance of a new life.

During the less busy times, when there are no visiting teams, the resident paediatric surgeons perform less complicated and specialised surgery and several local surgeons and anaesthetists have been given further training in Europe. This is an important aspect of help to self-help. The special knowledge they acquire in European specialist hospitals enables the Nigerian surgeons not only to support the teams at the operating table, but also assists competent pre- and postoperative care.

Links Used In This Page:

• AWD Stiftung Kinderhilfe (Germany)
• Noma Children Hospital, Nigeria
• The Dutch Noma Foundation

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