Senegal’s public healthcare system is facing a deepening crisis as a shortage of medical professionals threatens access too care across the West African nation[[2]]. The Autonomous Union of Doctors, Pharmacists and Dental Surgeons of Senegal (SAMES) convened its annual National Congress this weekend to address the escalating issue, warning that the current trajectory is unsustainable without immediate government intervention. Driven by factors including low pay and limited career advancement, healthcare workers are increasingly seeking opportunities abroad, exacerbating an already critical deficit in medical personnel[[1]].
Senegal’s healthcare system is facing a critical shortage of doctors, pharmacists, and dentists, prompting a strong warning from the nation’s medical union. The crisis, fueled by low wages and limited opportunities, is driving healthcare professionals to seek work abroad or in the private sector, threatening the stability of public health services.
The Autonomous Union of Doctors, Pharmacists and Dental Surgeons of Senegal (SAMES) held its National Congress on Saturday, addressing the urgent need for recruitment, motivation, and retention of medical personnel. SAMES Secretary General Demba Ndour delivered a stark assessment of the situation, characterizing the public hospital system as increasingly unsustainable.
“While the ratios of health professionals per inhabitant are historically low, many young graduates of medical schools remain unemployed or are forced to accept exploitative and dehumanizing contracts that violate their dignity,” Ndour said. This precarity, he argues, is directly contributing to a brain drain that Senegal can no longer afford.
The union leader issued a pointed message to the government regarding the social stability pact, in which SAMES played a key role. Ndour asserted that while the union upheld its commitments to maintain peace during negotiations, the government has failed to deliver on its promises.
“We have given enough signs of good faith, and we will no longer be fooled by unfulfilled commitments,” Ndour stated. He announced that 2026 will be a year of major demands, with the union taking its concerns “into the field” to secure its rights.
Despite this firm stance, SAMES also presented itself as a proactive force for solutions. The organization is calling on the government to undertake a thorough review of the issues driving the exodus of medical professionals and to significantly increase salaries for healthcare workers – a fight they have been waging for nearly 20 years.
The union hopes the congress will lead to concrete solutions for reintegrating young graduates into the public system and providing viable career paths. Without such changes, SAMES warns, Senegal’s healthcare system risks irreversible collapse. The situation underscores the growing challenges facing healthcare systems across Africa as skilled professionals seek better opportunities elsewhere.
The theme of this year’s congress was “Recruitment, motivation and retention of doctors, pharmacists and dental surgeons: what sustainable union responses?” Ndour’s diagnosis paints a picture of a system struggling to attract and keep qualified personnel, with potentially devastating consequences for public health access.
