For several years, the hospital system in Senegal has faced negative feedback from users, public authorities, and even medical staff, who express their dissatisfaction with the care provided in referral hospitals. This observation comes from the Director of Health Facilities, Dr. Fatou Mbaye Sylla.

On Monday, November 17, 2025, in Thiès, on behalf of the Minister of Health, she opened a five-day meeting bringing together several health stakeholders to examine a document intended to strengthen the provision of services in hospital facilities.

A national review of hospital reform (evaluation) is underway, aiming to establish a new framework and a new plan to improve the quality of and access to healthcare services. The Director of Healthcare Facilities reiterated that the President of the Republic has requested an evaluation of the hospital reform to adapt it to current needs and the challenges of patient care. The objective is to propose a new direction more aligned with current expectations and priorities.

Dr. Fatou Mbaye Sylla emphasized that despite some progress, difficulties persist regarding the quality of care, geographical and financial accessibility, and comprehensive patient management. She explained that this working session aimed to analyze the progress of the reform in terms of governance, financing, and human resource management, before formulating proposals for new structural directions.

The aim is to rethink the system as a whole in order to develop a law that corrects the shortcomings of the previous reform and meets current needs. Dr. Sylla reiterates that the mission of this consultation framework is to enrich, harmonize, and validate the working document in order to prepare the final version of the bill.