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The Senegal Digital Health Landscape

Healthtech Startups in Senegal

The last two decades have been marked by an improvement in Senegal’s overall health situation, with most health indicators evolving positively because of overall socio-economic development and specific efforts to improve public health However, Senegal has a low level of coverage of social protection. 

The country’s social security system doesn’t have the capacity to react quickly, much less to increase the scale and scope of responses to crises. Formal health insurance systems cover only 20% of the population, leaving out most Senegalese employed in the rural and informal sectors.

This situation led the government to introduce the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) programme in 2012 to improve people’s access to quality health services. 

Despite that, access to a specialist remains problematic outside of Dakar, as 68% of the specialists are concentrated in the capital.

The Senegalese health system has a pyramidal structure with three levels of care and a system of referral. Health facilities comprise various levels of hospitals, health centres, health posts, plus hygiene and social services.

The administration of the health sector is also structured along three levels: central (Ministry of Health and Social Affairs – MoHSA), intermediate (14 regions) and peripheral (77 health districts). 

The public health care system is complemented (particularly in Dakar, the capital city) by a growing private sector which is estimated to represent nearly 70% of the total provision of health services. 

The health sector has experienced a number of reforms in the past decade, notably so as to facilitate the decentralization policy whose implementation is still lagging behind.

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Regulatory Compliance:

One of the biggest challenges facing healthtech startups is navigating the healthcare industry’s complex and ever-changing regulations and compliance requirements. 

Talent Acquisition:

Attracting and retaining top talent can be difficult for startups as they compete with established healthcare or technology companies. This is especially problematic for less desirable locations since many graduates prefer urban areas.

Funding:

Healthtech startups need significant funding to develop and scale their products, and raising capital can be challenging. Startups struggle to secure grants from government agencies or from Venture Capital and Angel investors.

Data Privacy and Security:

When healthtech startups deal with sensitive patient data, privacy, and security are critical. Startups must comply with HIPAA(Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act ) privacy regulations and ensure having robust data security systems and processes in place.

Market Competition:

Healthtech startups are competing with established healthcare and tech companies in the region for market share. Differentiation may be tough, as well as gaining traction in the market.

Notable HealthTech Startups in Senegal

Senvitale: SenVitale S&H is a pioneering HealthTech startup focused on enhancing healthcare accessibility in Africa. Their mission is to close the healthcare gap with an innovative telemedicine platform, inclusive of telemedicine kits, stations, cabins, and devices for comprehensive remote care. 

They aim to bridge the healthcare gap in Africa by providing cutting-edge, easily accessible medical consultation.

More Startups

The HealthTech Hub Africa is helping African-based healthtech startups collaborate on data and technology-enabled innovations that strengthen African health systems. 

Learn more about the HealthTech Hub Africa accelerator program here.