Senegal: The Push for Health Sovereignty and Recognition of Traditional Medicine

A dual burden and cost barriers · Cancer and diabetes are described as “wreaking havoc” on families, alongside endemic malaria and tuberculosis, with the high cost of care still pushing families into financial ruin despite some free-care policies.
Active outbreaks: RVF and Mpox · Senegal is facing Rift Valley Fever (RVF) and Mpox outbreaks, underscoring the need for robust surveillance and rapid response.
Funding suspension threatens EPI and HPV programmes · Experts warn the suspension of donor funding could trigger a resurgence of preventable diseases by undermining mother-child vaccination and HPV initiatives.
Codifying traditional African medicine · There is a strong call for African governments to advocate for traditional medicine at WHO level, similar to traditional Chinese or Indian medicine, citing the Centre Malango as evidence of efficacy.
Cultural voice-bearers for African narratives · Senegalese experts propose leveraging artists Youssou Ndour and Baaba Maal and athlete Sadio Mané as “voice bearers” to carry African health priorities in global forums.

Senegal’s health and media landscape is shaped by a forward-looking national ambition for health sovereignty, driven by a strategic focus on local production and adaptation to funding challenges. This push for self-reliance is complemented by a unique and powerful call for the official recognition and integration of traditional African medicine into the formal health system.

This section consolidates the expert perspectives of the head of health desk at a national public broadcasting network, the president of an association of journalists for health, and the director of a community radio station.

A dual burden of disease and access barriers

An analysis of Senegal’s health media coverage reveals a nation contending with a dual burden of chronic and infectious diseases, compounded by access and environmental issues. A major focus of media coverage is on incurable diseases like cancer and diabetes, which are described as “wreaking havoc” on families. This is alongside the continued fight against endemic diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis.

Despite government policies aimed at providing free treatment for certain conditions, the high cost of care remains a significant barrier for many families, often leading to financial ruin. Senegal is currently facing challenges from outbreaks of Rift Valley Fever (RVF) and Mpox. These crises highlight the ongoing need for robust surveillance and rapid response plans to prevent widespread transmission. There is growing media coverage of diseases linked to environmental factors, such as air pollution in major cities, and the health consequences of sedentary lifestyles and changing dietary habits.

“Actors of this age-old knowledge continue to suffer a kind of injustice… political leaders [must] carry the voice of this medicinal practice at the level of international bodies because it yields results alongside recognised medicine. […] This so-called traditional medicine must be supported by authorities […] by putting in place a legislative framework to supervise their work.”

— Head of health desk, national public broadcasting network

Navigating funding shifts and preparing for future crises

Senegal is actively developing strategies to mitigate the impact of international funding restrictions and to better prepare for future pandemics, with a strong emphasis on self-reliance. The suspension of funding from donor countries is expected to have a direct negative impact on critical health programmes. Experts specifically express concern for mother-child vaccination campaigns (EPI) and HPV vaccination initiatives, warning that a lack of funding could risk a resurgence of preventable diseases.

Drawing lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, experts recommend a multi-pronged strategy for crisis preparation:

Establish resilient health systems supported by sustainable, endogenous funding to reduce dependence on external aid.
Work decisively toward health sovereignty, with a particular focus on developing local capacity for vaccine and pharmaceutical production.
Invest in local epidemiological surveillance and early warning systems to detect threats sooner.
Accelerate the digitisation of health data to enable better surveillance, patient follow-up, and data-driven decision-making.

Advocacy for traditional medicine and African narratives

Senegalese experts propose a set of unique and powerful strategies for ensuring better representation of African voices in the global health arena. There is a strong call for African governments to advocate for traditional African medicine in international bodies like the WHO. The goal is to have it codified and officially recognised, similar to traditional Chinese or Indian medicine. The success of local institutions like the “Centre Malango” is cited as evidence of its efficacy and potential.

“If I take the example of Senegal, we have voice bearers like artists Youssou Ndour known worldwide, athletes such as Sadio Mané […] who can carry the voice in international bodies. […] They must help make the African narrative better known because they are influential and their voice carries more weight than that of a minister in certain spheres of decision-making.”

— President, association of journalists for health

A key strategy is to use internationally renowned cultural figures—such as artists Youssou Ndour and Baaba Maal, and athlete Sadio Mané—as “voice bearers.” These influential ambassadors can carry the African narrative and advocate for the continent’s health priorities in global forums where their voices carry significant weight. Alongside these high-level strategies is a foundational demand to finance and prioritise local media, promote African researchers in global discussions, and demand a quota of African representatives on international panels and decision-making bodies.