The SIM Galmi Hospital offers both inpatient and outpatient services so that we can best care for our community. Each medical department works in partnership with our hospital chaplaincy program so that our patients receive both physical and spiritual care.
The PanAfrican Academy of Christian Surgeons (PAACS) first opened a surgical residency program at the SIM Galmi Hospital in 1997. Due to staffing difficulties, the program had to be shut down before it had completed its first two years. In August of 2012, Galmi Hospital re-opened it’s PAACS program under the direction of Dr. Joe Starke and Dr. Yakoubou Sanoussi.
Recognizing the need to mentor and train African surgeons in Africa, PAACS began in 1996 as a conversation between several surgeons working in mission hospitals across the continent. PAACS is a non-denominational, multinational organization focused on training and discipleship of these young surgeons.
By 1997 three training sites were opened, but by the end of the second year, only one program remained. But God was faithful! Today, there are 12 PAACS programs, and already 51 graduates! The SIM Galmi Hospital is blessed to be a part of this great vision!
PAACS exists to train and disciple African surgeons to glorify God and to provide excellent, compassionate care to those most in need.
The SIM Galmi Hospital was one of the three initial PAACS training sites to open in 1997. Dr. Harold Adolph started the program, accepting Yakoubou Sanoussi, a young Nigerien doctor, as our first student. Unfortunately, during the second year of the residency, Dr. Adolph was no longer able to continue practicing nor teaching due to health problems. A replacement could not be found in time, our students were forced to pursue other means of training and the PAACS program shut down.
This was a confusing turn of events for so many, but God’s hand was still at work. While Dr. Sanoussi continued his studies to become a surgeon, God began directing Dr. Joe Starke, a surgical oncologist in the US, toward the SIM Galmi Hospital.
After completing a surgical fellowship in France, Dr. Sanoussi returned to Galmi Hospital with his family in 2009 to be our chief of surgery. The following year Dr. Starke and his family relocated to Niger and together these two very gifted surgeons began laying the foundation to re-open the PAACS program at Galmi.
In 2012 the SIM family at Galmi Hospital welcomed two French-speaking doctors from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Since that day our program has expanded to seven residents, and we saw our first surgeon graduate in August 2017!
We have a great need for surgeons with all subspecialties including:
Please contact us if you are interested in volunteering at Galmi Hospital.
We also have a need for financial assistance to subsidize the running of the PAACS program at the SIM Galmi Hospital. For more information on supporting PAACS at Galmi, check out our PAACS project page.
Are you a doctor wishing to train to be a surgeon? Are you a disciple of Jesus? Are you a citizen of an African country? Do you speak both English and French? Are you willing to spend your first five years of practice in an under-served medical center in Africa?
Interested in applying to be our next PAACS Surgical Resident? Apply now.
The SIM Galmi Hospital has a 40 bed maternity unit currently run by 2 obstetric doctors, 7 midwives, 12 midwife aids and an evangelist. In addition to the 40 inpatient beds, there are 5 birthing beds, a post-operative recovery room, 2 neonatal resuscitation trolleys and 2 incubators for premature babies.
The SIM Galmi Hospital exists to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ by demonstrating His love to those who are in need of medical care. Due to socio-economic and cultural barriers, many of our patients arrive at the hospital in the advanced stages of illness, resulting in limited treatment options.
Over 300 people pass through the doors of our Outpatient Department each weekday. We offer many services that do no require certain patients to be hospitalized.
One-half of Niger’s population is under the age of 18. The SIM Hospital in Galmi believes that children are precious to the heart of God, and therefore we seek to care for this vulnerable demographic with the best treatment options available in our context.
We believe that our patients have dignity and worth; we seek to help our patients holistically through the medium of physical rehabilitation.
The SIM Galmi Hospital has been providing surgical intervention since it opened it’s doors in 1950. Today, Galmi’s Surgical Department is thriving and expanding. In 2012 we reopened our PAACS Surgical Training Program, and in 2017 we saw our first resident graduate!