Chaîne de l’Espoir Belgium has been working in Senegal since 2001 in the field of paediatric orthopaedics, following a request for support from Professor Ibrahima Fall, one of six registered Senegalese paediatric surgeons currently practicing in the country. In addition to the transfer of technical skills to the hospital staff, every paediatric orthopaedic surgery mission carried out at the Albert Royer offers specialized counselling to many children. Initially working with the Center Hospitalier Universitaire Aristide Le Dantec, Chaîne de l’Espoir is now engaged at the National Children’s Hospital of Albert Royer (CHNEAR) since the opening of the new paediatric surgery department, headed by Professor Ibrahima Fall, who contacted Chaîne de l’Espoir in 2009.

With more than 15 years of experience in Senegal, Chaîne de l’Espoir is recognized for its expertise the field of paediatric orthopaedic surgery in the country. It has carried out 13 orthopaedic surgery missions in Dakar and operated on 157 children with congenital malformations.

Each mission represents the opportunity to provide the hospital with equipment, medicines, and supplies for orthopaedic surgery. The material and equipment needs of the Albert Royer hospital are donated by partner medical companies, or purchased with money raised through Chaîne de l’Espoir fundraisers.

Objectives of the long-term project

The results of the collaboration between the Albert Royer hospital and Chaîne de l’Espoir were evaluated at the end of the first five years of cooperation in order to perpetuate and strengthen the charity’s activities in the country. In 2015, dialogue with the Ministry of Health and Social Action of the Republic of Senegal also continued and resulted in an updated collaboration agreement between Chaîne de l’Espoir and the representatives of the Ministry of Health.

The involvement of Chaîne de l’Espoir Belgium in Senegal is defined as follows:

• Bring practical expertise in orthopaedics for the surgical management of all acquired orthopaedic or congenital malformations of the child.
• Promote and reinforce the multidisciplinary axis (orthopaedics, anaesthesia, physiotherapy, etc) for the treatment of orthopaedic malformations with a view to better overall care of the child.
• Encourage the development of functional rehabilitation care within Albert Royer’s physiotherapy department.
• Provide equipment such as prostheses as well as surgical implants and other equipment for physiotherapy.
• Provide theoretical and practical course modules for the management of specific pathologies, such as clubfoot.

With the support of