Healthcare Scenario of Senegal

Economy

• One of sub-Saharan Africa’s most prosperous economies is Senegal. For several years, the economy has grown consistently at a rate higher than 6%.
• It is a safe place to invest because of its lengthy history of social and political stability as well as its constantly developing commercial climate.
• A significant reform plan under way could improve the economy’s competitiveness and encourage foreign direct investment (FDI) in important areas like agriculture, industry, tourism, transportation infrastructure, and extractive industries.
• Despite an abundance of natural resources such as iron, zircon, gas, gold, phosphates, and recently, multiple oil finds, Senegal’s economy is primarily driven by the sectors of mining, construction, tourism, agriculture, and fishing, which provide many jobs in rural areas.
• Senegal’s agriculture industry, one of the main drivers of the country’s GDP, is extremely susceptible to changes in global commodity prices as well as natural factors like rainfall patterns and climate change.

Connectivity

Blaise Diagne International Airport is an international airport near the town of Diass in Thies Region, Senegal, 43 kilometers east of downtown Dakar. It serves as the main airport for Dakar. Most of the Indian International airports are connected to Dakar with frequent flights. Senegal’s rail network consists of 906 km of railway at 1,000 mm, and 36 km of 1,445 mm. Dakar has one of the largest deep-water seaport along the West African Coast.

 

Main Corporates in Senegal

Name	Industry	Sector	Headquarters	Founded
Dakar-Niger Railway	Industrials	Railroads	Dakar	1924
Groupment Aerian Senegalais	Consumer services	Airlines	Dakar	NA
Ikatel	Telecommunications	Mobile telecommunications	Dakar	2003
La Poste	Industrials	Delivery services	Dakar	1962
Senelec	Utilities	Conventional electricity	Dakar	1983
Sonatel	Telecommunications	Mobile telecommunications	Dakar	1985

 

Growth plan of Senegal

The Plan for an Emerging Senegal (PES)

It is the new policy framework of the government, aiming at getting Senegal onto the road to development by 2035.

Three priorities serve as the foundation for the government’s strategic guidelines, which guide the activities required to turn this vision into real actions and outcomes for the benefit of the population.

These priorities are as follows:

• Bringing about a structural transformation of the economy: by strengthening the growth-promoting factors that are already in place and creating new industries that have the potential to create wealth, jobs, and social inclusion while also having a strong pull-on exports and investment.
• Promoting human capital: through maintaining the resource basis, encouraging the creation of sustainable areas, greatly improving people’s living standards, and fighting social injustices more persistently.
• Enabling good governance: to strengthen safety and security, defend freedoms, consolidate the rule of law, and foster an environment that is more suited to societal harmony.

 

Medical Tourism

• Senegal’s unique features make it an attractive target market for medical tourism. The nation is proud of its thriving customs, rich cultural history, and expanding economy.
• Senegal’s healthcare system has come a long way, but advanced medical procedures and specialised treatments are still needed. This is an amazing opportunity for medical professionals in other nations to deliver top-notch care and draw Senegalese patients.
• Understanding and adjusting to the local culture is essential to successfully entering the Senegalese market.

Some Important Health Statistics

 

Total Fertility Rate	4.2 live births per woman (2024)
Crude Birth Rate	31.86 births per 1000 people (2024)
Crude Death Rate	4.9 deaths per 100 people (2024 est)
Infant Mortality Rate	25.42 deaths per thousand live births (2024)
Maternal Mortality Rate	250 deaths per 100,000 live births (2024 est)
Under 5 Mortality Rate	35 deaths per 1000 live births (2024 est)
Life expectancy at Birth m/f	70 (2024 est)

Major Diseases in Senegal

Several diseases continue to affect people who live in and travel to Senegal, some of which are related to Senegal’s tropical climate.

Disease	Description
Malaria	One of the most prominent diseases is transmitted by mosquito bites.
Syphilis	Disease is directly related to the social environment, poor health, and housing conditions.
Tuberculosis	Disease is mostly localized in Dakar and Thies, and affects more men than women, with approximately 9500 cases of tuberculosis per year in Senegal and a 2–4% mortality rate.
Schistosomiasis	Parasitic disease common in the tropics.
Trypanosomiasis	A parasitic disease that has long affected the valleys in Eastern Senegal, known as Ferlo.
Meningitis	Outbreaks between February and March, especially in Eastern Senegal and occasionally in Dakar.
Cholera	Outbreaks continue to be a problem. In 2007 alone, there were over 2000 reported cases of cholera in Senegal.

 

Top 5 causes of Mortality in Senegal

 

Top 5 causes of Mortality for females

1 Neonatal condition

2 Lower respiratory infections

3 ischemic heart disease

4 Stroke

5 Diarrheal diseases

Top 5 causes of Mortality for males

1 Neonatal condition

2 Lower respiratory infections

3 Diarrheal diseases

4 Ischemic heart disease

5 Road injury

Healthcare Scenario in Senegal

Senegal is unwaveringly dedicated to achieving universal health coverage (UHC). Over the past ten years, several programmes have been started to shield Senegalese citizens from health risks; nevertheless, these activities have not yet been fully coordinated. UHC is not possible without bolstering the health system.

 

• The Senegalese health system is organised in a pyramid with three tiers of care and a referral system.
• Health facilities include different tiers of hospitals, health centres, health posts, as well as social services and cleanliness. Additionally, the health sector’s management is organised into three levels: peripheral (77 health districts), intermediate (14 regions), and central (Ministry of Health and Social Affairs, or MoHSA).
• The rising private sector, which is projected to account for about 70% of all health service provision and is becoming more and more active in CMU policy, complements the public health care system, especially in Dakar, the country’s capital.
• Over the past ten years, the health sector has undergone a lot of reforms, most notably to enable the decentralisation programme, whose execution is currently lagging behind.

Healthcare Infrastructure (Rural versus Urban)

• Approximately 42% of the population lives in rural areas and 58% lives in urban areas. The largest number of hospitals are in the Dakar Region which is in the Urban area. Thus, the distribution of healthcare facilities exhibits a notable contrast between rural and urban areas.
• The people from rural areas often have to travel long distances to seek treatment in healthcare facilities which are in Urban areas.

 

Major Medical Institutions in Senegal

Government Institutions

Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar

The university was established in 1957. The School of Medicine includes departments of Pharmacy, Research, and Surgery.

Private Institutions

Senegal Health Institute

The Senegal Health Institute is in Kafountine, Senegal, West Africa. The Institute provides stable access to reproductive healthcare and family planning services for women and adolescent girls.

Major Public Hospitals

Idrissa POUYE General Hospital – 300 Beds

Centre Hospitalier National de Pikine

Ndmatou Hospital – Touba

Ouroussogui Hospital – Matam Region

Albert Royer National Hospital – Dakar

Major Private Hospitals

Tambacounda Pediatric and Maternity Hospital – 150 Beds

It is the only hospital in a large region of eastern Senegal. It serves the 100,000 inhabitants of the city of Tambacounda.

Health Center Annette Mbaye D’erneville – Hospital in Dakar

Hopital Principal de – Dakar

Hospital Center University De Fann – Dakar

Hospital Center Order De Malte: Chom – Dakar

Major Diagnostic Centres

CEDIMED (Centre de Diagnostic medical), Dakar

Imagerie Moderne du Senegal, Dakar

CDRMM, Centre de Diagnostic et de Recherche en Médecine Moléculaire, Dakar

Complex Medical La Corniche West, Dakar

Cabinet de Radiologie et d’Imagerie Medicale

Conclusion

Senegal is one of the fastest growing economies in Africa. The country’s overall health sector has appropriate government policies and institutions in place to facilitate good governance and achieve Universal Health Coverage. However, there is a growing disparity in distribution of healthcare facilities in rural and urban areas of the country. Establishment of quality hospitals in rural areas can improve this disparity. Senegal hopes to develop into a hub for regional trade and services with strong air connections, a contemporary airport, developing seaports, accessibility to mobile money and other financial technology, and enhanced ground transit. Thus, Senegal presents with a significant market opportunity for establishing hospitals with good infrastructure. Establishment of quality hospitals with adequate infrastructure can prevent citizens of Senegal from traveling for medical tourism.

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