A delegation of Greek medical professionals from the humanitarian organisation, HEART DOCTORS, has praised Jigawa State for its remarkable organisation, hospitality, and modern infrastructure, saying the environment “felt like Europe.”
The team, led by the organisation’s Vice President, Mrs Elena Sotiriou, shared their impressions during a courtesy visit to Governor Malam Umar Namadi on Tuesday evening, after completing a week-long medical outreach across communities in the state.
Mrs Sotiriou said she was astonished by the level of development she witnessed in Jigawa, describing the experience as unique compared to their previous missions elsewhere in Nigeria.
“When we arrived in Jigawa, I was surprised. I could hardly believe I was in Nigeria because most of our missions in Niger State have been very difficult due to poor road conditions. But here, the roads are excellent — I felt like I was in Europe. Everything is well organised,” she said.
She added that the team visited several clinics and were impressed by the condition of the facilities, which she described as being far better than those they had seen in other parts of the country.
“Jigawa, especially Dutse, is a place to be proud of. We don’t know everyone behind these successes, but we are truly impressed,” she added.
Mrs Sotiriou explained that HEART DOCTORS is a family-based humanitarian organisation from Greece that has undertaken 46 medical missions to Nigeria over the past 35 years.
“We started from the South, moved to the North, and decided to remain in the North because the needs here are greater. We are a small humanitarian organisation made up of families — even our children, who are doctors, work with us,” she said.
She emphasised that their mission is guided purely by humanitarian values.
“At this stage in our lives, we have decided to serve God through humanity — regardless of colour or religion. About 99 per cent of our missions are in Muslim communities, and we are always happy to help those in need,” she noted.
Reflecting on the outreach, Mrs Sotiriou said her team insisted on visiting remote areas to reach those most in need.
“When we first came, the team was unsure whether to take us deep into rural areas, perhaps thinking we were too old. They took us only 15 minutes outside the town, but we insisted on going farther because we came here to serve the most vulnerable,” she said.
She praised the state’s coordination throughout the outreach, describing the local team’s support and hospitality as “perfect.”
“Everything was perfectly organised — your team, drivers, and local coordinators worked tirelessly. The hospitality was excellent, and the food was fantastic! Your beans and fried yam — the best we’ve ever had,” she remarked.
In his response, Governor Namadi commended the HEART DOCTORS team for their humanitarian service and expressed deep appreciation for their selflessness.
“Your decision to come all the way from Greece to help our people is an extraordinary act of kindness. What you are doing is not a job — it is a sacrifice. To spend your time, energy, and resources helping people in another continent shows great humanity,” the governor said.
Governor Namadi assured the group of continued partnership and government support to expand their impact across the state.
He also highlighted Jigawa’s initiatives to tackle malnutrition and strengthen healthcare delivery.
“The state government, in collaboration with UNICEF, spends nearly ₦250 million on nutrition interventions. We have also developed a local nutrition initiative called the Maseki Programme, which uses local ingredients to make supplements for children. Other states have come to Jigawa to learn from it,” he said.
“In addition, we have introduced another supplement called Tom Brown. So far, we have trained 600 women on how to prepare and distribute it. They were provided with capital, equipment, and sealing machines, empowering them while nourishing our children.”
