The Parliamentary Fact-Finding Mission on the marketing of SOFTCARE brand products in Senegal officially began its hearing phase on Wednesday, January 14, 2026. The announcement was made by its chairperson, the Honorable Member of Parliament Khady Sarr, in accordance with Article 51 of the Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly.

This step marks a key phase in the mission's work, which is being conducted with a rigorous, adversarial, and fully documented approach. The objective is to precisely establish the chronology of administrative and technical decisions that led successively to the withdrawal and then the return to the market of the products in question, while also assessing their compliance with the procedures in force regarding inspection, quality control, and public information.

The work also aims to identify the administrative responsibilities that may be incurred at each level of the chain of instruction, validation, monitoring and communication, without encroaching on the prerogatives of the judicial authority or those of external control bodies.

To this end, the mission will hear from regulatory authorities, relevant ministerial departments, the operator concerned, as well as any professional, technical or representative body whose contribution is deemed useful to establishing the facts and evaluating consumer protection and health risk prevention mechanisms.

In parallel, a site visit is planned at the operator's premises. This will allow the mission members to assess, on site, the conditions of production, storage and traceability of the products, as well as the effective implementation of technical specifications and compliance requirements.

In a spirit of openness and transparency, the mission also intends to launch a public consultation to gather observations, concerns, and contributions from users, consumer organizations, and other stakeholders. These contributions will enrich the parliamentary analysis through a participatory, inclusive, and public-interest approach.

The head of the mission emphasized that all work would be conducted in strict compliance with legally protected secrets, individual rights, and the requirements of impartiality inherent in parliamentary oversight. She therefore called upon all relevant government departments, agencies, and stakeholders to cooperate fully and loyally, in the best interests of public health and strengthening public trust.