Dakar is the capital and largest city of Senegal and homes National Assembly of Senegal. Dakar, located on the western edge of Africa is a major regional port and also a well-known commercial and administrative center. Dakar is a member of the Organization of World Heritage Cities. Dakar was the finishing point of the famous Dakar Rally (‘Paris to Dakar Rally’) up to year 2009.

Dakar has a number of hospitals in both public and private sectors. Nevertheless, health care centers of global standard with modern facilities are not so common in the city. Still some of the leading hospitals in Dakar are well equipped and offer good quality health service.

This is a note on some of the popular hospitals in Dakar.

The Principal hospital is the oldest and most popular public hospital in Dakar and is located at 1, Avenue Nelson Mandela, Dakar. This huge hospital established by the French Empire in 1890 belongs to the Great Colonial Hospitals, the world famous network of hospitals in former French colonies. The hospital which was operated by the Colonial Health Service with the help of French government has a small beginning as a military hospital and then, after more than a century of existence, developed in to an internationally renowned modern hospital that offers best and cost effective health care service to a very large number of native and foreign people. They have also established a second general hospital in Dakar named Le Dantec Hospital with more than thousand beds in 1912.The hospital offers modern medical service in all major disciplines and employs eminent doctors including some famous French doctors. The hospital has all sophisticated medical equipment and is keen to keep international standard in all their operations. The dense vegetation and tropical gardens around the hospital as well as the comfortable rooms provide a very pleasant stay for the patients. This famous research and training center has a separate school for nurses and midwives in the same campus. Tel. (+221) 33 839-5050. Emergency Services Tel.: 839 5050 Ext. 5294

Clinique du Cap is one of the major private hospitals in Senegal and the hospital is situated at Avenue Pasteur, near old Palais de Justice. B.P. 583. Dakar. This excellent hospital offers high quality clinical, diagnostic and surgical service in all major areas of medicine like departments of general medicine, cardiology, neurology, ophthalmology, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, dermatology, orthopedics, trauma, respiratory allergy, anesthesia, urology, rheumatology, proctology, radiology, plastic and reconstructive surgery and oto-rhino-laryngology. The hospital is well equipped with four operating rooms, maternity unit with modern facilities, pediatric and neonatology unit with various incubators, Intensive Care Units and special adult ICU. Their general biology laboratory and reproductive biology laboratory provide service in hematology, immunology, bacteriology, biochemistry, parasitology, hormonology, cytology and Vitro Fertilization (IVF).The hospital has all sophisticated medical equipment needed to deliver effective health care which includes medical imaging unit, dental X-ray device, two mammography, three mobile X-ray, a bone densitometry unit, an apparatus color doppler ultrasound, a helical CT.,two image intensifiers for surgery and MRI magnetic imaging unit. Clinique du Cap offers excellent accommodation in spacious and air-conditioned rooms as well as various delicious dishes. Special Deluxe (VIP) rooms are also there. Their urgent medical assistance service (S.A.M.U) is also remarkable with fully equipped ambulance and modern devices like cardio scope, respirator and pulse oximetry.. Tel. (+221) 33 889-0202

Clinique de la Madeleine is another renowned hospital in the city that offers quality health care service of global standard. This seven-floor multidisciplinary hospital is situated at 18, Ave. Des Jambaars, Dakar. This modern private hospital has 70 beds provided in 50 air-conditioned and comfortable rooms. In these 35 rooms are single, five are suites and 12 are two bedded rooms. Clinique de la Madeleine offers effective diagnostic, clinical and preventive medical service in all major departments of medicine and their well equipped Department of Surgery with two operating theaters and one post-operation observation room provides service in areas like emergency surgery, elective surgery and plastic surgery. Eminent psychologists, dieticians, speech therapists and osteopaths are also practicing in the hospital. The operation theaters and allied rooms are equipped in accordance with the recommendations of the SFAR and perform 720-800 regular and emergency operations annually, of which 30-40 % are laparoscopic. The hospital has modern ICUs and 3 delivery rooms where about 1,000 deliveries are conducted each year. Their pediatric unit is also noteworthy with various types of incubators and intensive phototherapy lamp, all manufactured by the MEDIPREMA. The Laboratory of Clinique de la Madeleine is remarkable with excellent service in hematology, biochemistry, serology, and bacteriology. The hospital has discovery room, radiology unit and hemodialysis unit. Clinique de la Madeleine is well known for using the latest medical technology and possesses all modern medical equipment ike cardiac and vascular ultrasound Doppler, Holter ECG and Holter blood pressure, a helical CT, an MRI, stress test echo Doppler, ultrasound endoscopy, scanner etc. Tel (+221).33 821 9470/ (+221) 33 821 9476