HKI Country Director Awarded Highest Public Health Distinction in Niger

Niamey, Niger, January 19, 2006 – Helen Keller International (HKI) Country Director, Dr. Xavier Crespin, received the highest distinction bestowed on a public health employee in Niger.  On behalf of the Ministry of Public Health, the President of the Republic of Niger awarded Dr. Crespin the Medal of Honor in Public Health for his contributions to the country; Dr. Crespin has served as HKI Country Director from September 2000 to December 2005.  The government of Niger has previously recognized Dr. Crespin’s work with HKI has with three other major distinctions: the Official Token of Appreciation in 2003, the Medal of Honor in Work in May 2004, and Knighthood of the Order of Merit in August 2004.

Dr. Crespin is a Nigérien national who received his medical degree from the University of Niamey and a Masters of Public Health from the Health Sciences Center of the University of Oklahoma.  Prior to joining HKI, Dr. Crespin served as the Regional Director of Health for the Tillabéri region of Niger and, prior to that, occupied the same position in the Tahoua region.  In Tahoua, he also served as co-director of the USAID-funded Quality Assurance project, which seeks to strengthen the quality of healthcare in developing and middle income countries.  Dr. Crespin has managed projects funded by USAID as well as the World Bank, the Dutch Cooperation, UNICEF and the European Union and has a strong history of encouraging partnership among NGOs.  His native languages are French and Arabic, and he also speaks Hausa, Toubou and English.

“This Medal of Honor is due to my work carried out with HKI in Niger, and I thank you for that,” said Dr. Crespin to Mr. Shawn Baker, HKI Vice President and Regional Director for Africa, upon receipt of his award.  Dr. Crespin is now serving as HKI Country Director in Cameroon and will continue to provide support to Niger for the Quality Assurance components of the recently-awarded Child Survival Project in Diffa, where HKI is the only NGO responding to food insecurity in the region.