Senegal launches strategic self-care plan to alleviate hospitals

Senegal officially inaugurated its National Self-Care Strategic Plan (Psnas) during a ceremony in Dakar. According to the Director General of Health, Ousmane Cissé, the main objective of this plan is to reduce work overload in hospitals and health structures, while supporting efforts in favor of Universal Health Coverage.

The event marked the start of an institutional validation workshop, supported by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the NGO Path, specializing in technologies appropriate to health.

Professor Ousmane Cissé clarified that, according to the World Health Organization, self-care is defined as “the capacity of individuals, families and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health and to cope with illness and disability, with or without the support of a health care provider.”

The professor also underlined that this strategic plan is part of Senegal's vast ambition to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and achieve Universal Health Coverage by 2030. He declared that this document marked “a decisive turning point in the process of empowering individuals.

By 2028, Senegal aims to become a “sovereign, just and prosperous” country where everyone, individuals, families and communities, will have the necessary capacities to promote health, prevent diseases and face health challenges. This vision aligns with the objectives of the Senegal 2050 framework, which envisages an accessible and quality health system for all Senegalese, regardless of their place of residence or income. These ambitions were detailed by Professor Cissé during an interview reported by our colleagues at Le Quotidien.

He stressed the importance of strengthening individual capacities to enable citizens to meet their own health needs. For the professor, it is crucial that health policies put the patient at the heart of the concerns of healthcare providers.

This commitment to self-care and improved health services has been widely praised and represents a crucial step towards better management of health resources and needs in Senegal.