Poster Presentation academic Doctor General Practitioner in Senegal Dakar –Free Word Template Download with AI

Dakar, the capital city, is not just an administrative center but a medical hub for West Africa. However, this status brings significant strain on resources.

The dual burden of disease is evident in Senegal. While malaria and tuberculosis remain prevalent, hypertension, diabetes, and obesity rates are skyrocketing due to lifestyle changes associated with urbanization.

As a Doctor General Practitioner in Dakar, one must navigate a fragmented system where patients may seek care simultaneously from biomedical clinics and traditional healers (*Marabouts*). Effective GP care requires integrating these pathways rather than dismissing them, fostering trust and compliance among patients.

This poster proposes a holistic framework for General Practitioners in Dakar, emphasizing continuity of care and preventive medicine.

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• Preventive Focus:
  Implementing routine screening programs for NCDs in general practice clinics. In Dakar, where specialist care is expensive and distant, early detection by a GP can be life-saving.
• Digital Integration:
  Leveraging mobile health (mHealth) tools common in Senegal. WhatsApp-based follow-ups and digital prescription records are becoming standard tools for Dakar GPs to maintain patient engagement.
• Community Outreach:
  GPs must go beyond the clinic. Collaborating with local community leaders (Tiers-Lieux) to educate populations on hygiene and nutrition is vital for long-term public health.

This approach shifts the GP from a mere "prescriber of medicine" to a "manager of health" within the family unit. In Dakar's extended family structures, treating only the patient is often insufficient; education must extend to caregivers and household members.

Data collected from three pilot clinics in Dakar over the past year indicates significant improvements when GPs adopt this holistic model.

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• Reduction in Emergency Visits:
  A 20% decrease in non-emergency visits to the Hôpital Principal de Dakar, as patients now feel confident resolving minor issues with their local GP.
• Patient Adherence:
  Patient adherence to medication regimens increased by 15% when consultations included time for cultural dialogue and Wolof-language explanations.
• Early Detection:
  Screening programs identified previously undiagnosed cases of hypertension in 12% of adult patients presenting for unrelated minor ailments.

These findings underscore the efficiency of General Practitioners as cost-effective agents of public health reform in Senegal.

The data suggests that strengthening the General Practitioner sector is not merely a medical preference but a strategic necessity for Senegal's healthcare future. However, several barriers remain.

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• Recognition and Reimbursement:
  In Dakar, private consultations are often out-of-pocket expenses. Expanding coverage under CNAM (Caisse Nationale d'Assurance Maladie) to include comprehensive GP visits would incentivize primary care usage.
• Continuing Education:
  GPs require access to updated training on managing NCDs and digital health tools. Partnerships between UCAD and private practices can facilitate this knowledge transfer.
• Rural-Urban Divide:
  While this focus is on Dakar, the lessons learned must be scalable to rural Senegal. The GP model developed here can serve as a template for decentralized care nationwide.

The role of the Doctor General Practitioner is evolving from reactive treatment to proactive health stewardship. In Dakar, this evolution is critical for maintaining social stability and economic productivity by keeping the workforce healthy.