Dori: The Minister of Health and Public Hygiene, Dr. Robert Lucien Jean-Claude Kargougou, presided over the ceremony marking the official launch of the centenary activities of the Regional Hospital Center (CHR) on Sunday, September 14, 2025, in Dori. Under the theme “100 years of medicine in the Sahel: achievements to consolidate the future,” this commemoration was an opportunity to pay tribute to generations of caregivers and to announce new perspectives for the structure.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the centenary celebration of the Dori Hospital Center mobilized the constituent bodies, health personnel, and the population of the regional capital of the Sahel. It was an opportunity for the Minister of Health to inaugurate an endoscopy column, a modern device designed to explore and treat internal organs such as the digestive tract, respiratory tract, and joints.
Dr. Kargougou then visited several departments of the hospital, including pediatrics, medicine, and maternity, where he spoke with health workers about their working conditions and expectations. Speaking, the Secretary General of the Sahel region, Mr. Auguste Kinda, recalled that “a century of existence is a century of sacrifice, dedication, and resilience.” For him, the Dori CHR is much more than just a healthcare center. “It is a symbol of humanity and progress, built at the heart of a region facing security and humanitarian challenges,” he insisted.
Mr. Kinda also paid tribute to the generations of agents who contributed, sometimes in very difficult conditions, to building the history of the CHR with their sweat and their skills. On behalf of the CHR staff, Mr. Irisso Ouedraogo recalled that in 1925, the hospital was just a dispensary, comparable to the “Tenere tree,” a symbol of a vital landmark in the desert. He expressed his gratitude to all those who worked to make the facility a center of health excellence in the Sahel.
Mr. Ouedraogo also appealed to the people of the region as well as to technical and financial partners to continue to support the CHR to make it an even more efficient tool for the benefit of patients. The representative of the mining company IAMGOLD Essakane SA, Mr. Frank Napon, assured that his company “will spare no effort to support health workers in the Sahel.” For his part, the representative of the technical and financial partners, Mr. Gervais Ouattara, praised the “excellent relations” between these humanitarian workers and the Dori Hospital.
In his speech, the Minister of Health expressed his satisfaction with the resilience and commitment of health workers in the Sahel region in general and at the Dori Hospital in particular. He announced that the government, under the leadership of the Head of State, Captain Ibrahim Traore, plans to strengthen the technical platform of the Hospital very soon with state-of-the-art medical and technical equipment. At the same time, human resources will be expanded with qualified personnel, in order to improve the quality of care and meet the growing needs of the population.
The centenary celebration of the Dori Hospital was a moment of remembrance, recognition, and a look toward the future. By paying tribute to the pioneers and inaugurating new facilities, the authorities reaffirmed their commitment to consolidating their achievements. In a difficult security and humanitarian context, the Dori Hospital remains a beacon of resilience and hope for the people of the Sahel.