Finding a pediatrician in Dakar: a practical guide

Whether you have just landed in Dakar, come back from the diaspora for the summer or lived here for years, a trusted pediatrician is usually the first thing a family looks for. The capital holds most of the country's pediatric capacity: public hospitals, private clinics and neighbourhood practices. Here is how to choose, where to get your child vaccinated and what to do after dark. This guide is informational only: for any symptom, consult a healthcare professional.

Three kinds of care, three different experiences

• Private pediatric practices, mostly in residential areas such as Point E, Sacré-Cœur, Mermoz and the Almadies. Fast appointments, personal follow-up, office hours.
• Private multi-specialty clinics, where pediatrics, laboratory and imaging sit in one building. Useful when a test is ordered on the spot.
• Public health posts and district health centres, found across the city and out into the suburbs. Low fees, long morning queues.

Before you book, a few habits save real time:

• Measure distance in rush-hour minutes, not kilometres. Parcelles Assainies to Plateau can easily double in the morning peak.
• Ask whether the doctor keeps the carnet de santé, the child health record booklet, up to date and sends vaccine reminders.
• French is the working language everywhere and Wolof is widely spoken. If you need English, ask when you book.
• Bring the vaccination booklet, even a foreign one, plus any current prescriptions.

Where to look, neighbourhood by neighbourhood

• Plateau and Médina: the historic core of hospital care.
• Point E, Fann, Sacré-Cœur, Liberté 6 and Castors: the densest cluster of practices and clinics, reachable from the corniche and from the VDN.
• Mermoz, Ouakam, Ngor, Yoff and the Almadies: the usual base for expatriate and diaspora families, with many private facilities and easier parking.
• Pikine, Guédiawaye, Keur Massar, Rufisque and Diamniadio: public and hospital capacity has grown eastwards, so a routine check no longer means driving into town.

Along the new urban corridor, check what exists near you before committing to an hour in traffic with a feverish toddler.

Vaccination: plan it instead of chasing it

Senegal runs an expanded immunisation programme. Vaccines on the national schedule are free in public health posts and centres. Private clinics offer the same vaccines, sometimes with additional ones, at their own price.

• Infant vaccination sessions often run on fixed weekdays in public health posts. Ask once, write the day down, and always come back on that day.
• Keep the health booklet in the changing bag: it is requested at every visit, including for school registration.
• Coming back for the holidays? Deal with missed boosters in the first days of the stay, not the night before the flight.
• Travel vaccines such as yellow fever are handled by specific approved centres.

Pediatric emergencies: know the route before you need it

For a life-threatening emergency, call the SAMU on 1515, the fire brigade on 18 or the police on 17. Those are the only numbers worth memorising.

• Identify the nearest facility with a night-time emergency service in advance, and drive there once in daylight so you know the gate.
• At night and on weekends, private clinics with an emergency service are often the fastest route, but admission may require an upfront payment.
• During the rainy season, roughly July to October, visits for fever, diarrhoea and breathing difficulties rise sharply, and so do waiting times.

None of this replaces medical advice: consult a healthcare professional.

What it costs

Fees vary widely by type of facility. As a rough guide:

• Pediatric consultation in a public facility: a few hundred to a few thousand FCFA.
• Consultation in a private practice or clinic: often between 15 000 and 40 000 FCFA.
• Private emergency care: expect to advance the cost and claim it back later.

With a Senegalese mutuelle, a company IPM scheme or international cover, confirm direct billing before the consultation.

Recommended addresses on SeneFinder

• Children's Hospital of Diamniadio : Diamniadio
• Clinique Croix Bleue : Castors

To widen the search by neighbourhood, you can see all addresses for health in Dakar.

Useful tools

• Route planner to estimate the drive to the practice at rush hour.
• Practical guide for emergency numbers, transport and day-to-day information.
• Also worth reading: night pharmacies in Dakar and our overview of health insurance in Senegal.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need an appointment to see a pediatrician in Dakar?

In private practices and clinics an appointment is the norm and cuts waiting time considerably. In public facilities consultations are usually walk-in, and arriving early in the morning works best.

Where can my child be vaccinated in Dakar?

Vaccines on the national schedule are free in public health posts and centres, often on fixed days of the week. Private clinics also vaccinate, at their own rates. Always bring the health booklet.

What should I do in a pediatric emergency at night?

Call the SAMU on 1515 or the fire brigade on 18 if the situation looks serious, and head to the emergency facility you identified in advance near your home. This information is general: consult a healthcare professional for any medical decision.