Health Insurance in Senegal

Mainly concentrated in Dakar, the Senegalese health system has some renowned doctors. However, the lack of state-of-the-art equipment and the quality of the medical infrastructure might make it necessary to cross the country's borders to seek medical care with more peace of mind. International health insurance is therefore the most suitable medical cover for expatriates.

Health insurance for expats in Senegal

The health insurance system in Senegal

While civil servants and certain categories of the population (nationals over 60 and under 5 years of age) benefit from public schemes to cover their health expenses, the rest of the population has private cover:

• via their employers, who are obliged to affiliate their employees to an Institute for Health Insurance (IPM) at company level (or sometimes by means of inter-company contracts). 40-80% of the insured persons' health costs are then covered, but only within the network of healthcare providers of each IPM;

• voluntarily with a private insurance company, for the self-employed population, the unemployed and those working in the informal sector. This insurance is a condition for their access to public and private health facilities.

How to choose health insurance in Senegal: local or international?

As the majority of the country's doctors, health centres, hospitals, and pharmacies are concentrated in Dakar, mobility is essential for residents in Senegal. The absence of certain specialities and advanced technical facilities may also require consultation outside the country, in case of a specific need, for example in North Africa, which has better facilities, or even in the individual’s home country.
 
However, the coverage offered by local IPMs and insurances limits the health offer to the network of local healthcare providers of each entity. In this context, taking out international health insurance allows for a wider range of care, both within and outside the country. This solution usually also offers a telemedicine service, useful for obtaining a diagnosis or a second medical opinion from a health professional in the country of origin.

> Good to know: the IPM only starts covering employees after two months of paid contributions. International health insurance can be useful at least to cover this waiting period.