Senegal is working hard to fully digitize its healthcare system. To achieve its objectives quickly, the government has turned to the World Bank for financial support.

The Senegalese government has allocated CFAF30 billion ($49.8 million) of World Bank financing to its national health digitization system PDSS. The information was disclosed by Dr. Ibrahima Khaliloulah Dia, coordinator of the Health and Welfare Map and Digital Health Unit CSSDOS, at a recent information workshop in Thiès.

The digital system is a user-focused platform. “...it will host your online medical data, scans, MRIs (magnetic resonance imaging), and check-ups. So it's an important tool. These data can be stored on secure servers to help patients coordinate their care. A patient can have their medical file following them, which circulates securely in a national database and this is a great added value for the patient because there will be savings, such as x-rays that need not be repeated but also, it will have better support,” said Dr. Dia. 

Since 2017, Senegal has been digitizing its healthcare system. Several actions have been taken to completely transform the sector. Recently, a draft orientation law on digital health was finalized and sent to the government's general secretariat for implementation. Among other things, the bill covers telemedicine, patient records, data hosting, and management.

The CFAF30 billion dedicated will be used to build, equip, connect, and interconnect the country's hospitals. According to Dr. Ibrahima Khaliloulah Dia, the funding will only cover part of the vast project. Senegal has 1,500 health posts, 110 health centers, and 40 hospitals that will have to be digitized. In its initial phase, 20 health centers will be involved, and 1.5 million patients, 50% of them women, will benefit from the shared patient record (DPP).

The PDSS is part of the Senegal Digital Economy Acceleration Project (PAENS) financed by the World Bank to the tune of $150 million.

Samira Njoya