Senegal is welcoming a new class of 25 ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialists trained at Ottawa-Dakar University. These new doctors represent five nationalities and will partially fill the critical shortage of specialists in this discipline, which is considered essential to public health.

A marked deficit within the country

Currently, Senegal has only about 100 ENT specialists, nearly 80% of whom practice in Dakar and Thiès. Several regions remain without specialists, forcing patients to travel to the capital for essential care. "With this promotion, we are injecting new skills into the healthcare system, and there is great hope that these doctors will be deployed in the regions," explained Dr. Fallou Niang, director of the Fann Hospital Center and director of the Kolda Regional Hospital Center, and sponsor of the promotion.

Indeed, the training required more than twelve years of study after the baccalaureate. "It illustrates the commitment of health and academic authorities to providing the country with quality human resources. This class embodies the vision of equitable and decentralized health, enshrined in the National Agenda for the Transformation of the Health System," Dr. Niang recalled.

Beyond increasing staff numbers, these new specialists bring crucial skills to the fight against deafness, the prevalence of which is estimated at between 6 and 8% in Senegal. Hearing rehabilitation, whether through surgery, devices, or rehabilitation, remains insufficiently accessible.

Dr. Ndiaye advocates for the implementation of a national program of systematic screening from birth. "Before the age of three, every affected child must be able to benefit from a hearing aid. This is a collective challenge involving ENT specialists, pediatricians, gynecologists, and authorities," he says. He adds that "these 25 new ENT specialists represent a strategic contribution to the Senegalese health system. With their expected deployment in different regions, they should help reduce inequalities in access to care and strengthen the country's health sovereignty."