C�te d'Ivoire
Heeno International and ONG Espoir Handicap signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Abidjan on May 10, 2018. ONG Espoir Handicap is one of the biggest and most successful traditional orthopaedic practices (owned and operated by one man) in the world. Mr Issaka Kouriba treats about a thousand cases a day and at least a million a year. He also feeds his patients and does not charge them any fee. Heeno and ONG Espoir have had good relations since 2014, when Heeno started to provide assistance to the latter. The signature ceremony took place at Hotel Tiama, a 5-Star hotel which won the prize for the best hotel in Abidjan in 2017. The staff of the hotel, some of whom have either been treated or knew someone who has been treated by Mr Kouriba, attended the occasion. They were thrilled by the unexpected presence in their hotel of the famous, but very low-key, man referred to locally as "Dr Kouriba", who works from about 8am to 2am in his clinic, almost everyday of his life. The Chairman of Heeno tried to pursuade Mr Kouriba to take Friday off each week to rest, as Dr Kouriba's staff had earlier proposed, unsuccessfully, to him. According to Dr Ehoulé Kroa, Director and Coordinator of the National Programme for the Promotion of Traditional Medicine of Cote d'Ivoire, "Only God can give him the strength for this!" For more information on ONG Espoir Handicap, click on "Reflections" and in this website and search for "Issaka".
