Country guide — Africa and the Indian Ocean
Expat insurance and health insurance in Senegal
In short
Senegal imposes no legal health insurance requirement for a French national on entry or for most stays, but France Diplomatie describes having an assistance contract covering hospitalisation and health costs as 'essential'. The France-Senegal social security agreement (1974/1976) explicitly excludes general health cover: only the maternity branch (cash benefits) is coordinated. Senegal's CMU is in principle accessible to a foreign resident under conditions, with no official confirmation dedicated to French expats. Without cover, facilities require payment for care in advance.
Key figures
- 19,966 French nationals registered with the consular register in 2025 (-4.01% year on year; 20,800 in 2024).
- Life expectancy at birth: 68.92 years in 2024.
- Health spending: 73.23 USD per capita in 2023, 4.32% of GDP.
Local healthcare system
Senegal is developing Universal Health Coverage (CMU), managed by the CNAM, targeting primarily low-income residents and the local informal economy. Explicit eligibility for a foreign resident could not be confirmed from an official source. In practice, the large majority of French residents use the private sector (clinics in Dakar) or international/CFE cover, with the public sector remaining markedly cheaper but with variable comfort and waiting times.
Legal and visa obligations
- No Senegalese legal health insurance requirement identified for entry, stay or the residence card.
- France Diplomatie formally recommends an assistance policy covering hospitalisation and health costs, not covered by the embassy.
- The French state directs applicants to the CFE, with a subsidised category on consular application for low-income households.
Cost of some medical procedures
Orders of magnitude from specialised sources, not official fee schedules.
| Procedure | Public sector | Private sector |
|---|---|---|
| GP consultation (private) | 1,500 to 6,000 FCFA | 10,000 to 20,000 FCFA — the sources consulted do not agree on a single figure |
| Specialist consultation | — | ≈3,000 to 5,000 FCFA |
| Private room | — | 5,000 to 15,000 FCFA/day |
| Childbirth (Hôpital Principal) | — | 15,000 to 25,000 FCFA |
| Laboratory tests | — | ≈15,000 FCFA |
| MRI | over 150,000 FCFA | over 175,000 FCFA (≈176,750 FCFA per body segment) |
| Ambulance | Free via the national SAMU (emergency number 1515) | rate not publicly disclosed (quote on request from private providers, e.g. SOS Médecins Sénégal) |
Social security agreements with France
The general France-Senegal social security agreement, signed on 29 March 1974 (in force since 1 September 1976), coordinates maternity, old age-survivors, work accidents/occupational diseases and family benefits. General health cover is explicitly excluded.
- An additional protocol allows a temporary maintenance of health rights for an employee on temporary transfer.
- No reimbursement of care received in Senegal under a French pension.
- Voluntary CFE affiliation or private insurance is needed for cover recognised by a French system.
Which insurance for my profile
General matrix — does not recommend any specific product or insurer.
| Profile | Regulatory constraint | Points of attention |
|---|---|---|
| Working holiday visa | No France-Senegal agreement identified | Not applicable |
| Student | No specific legal requirement for students identified, beyond the general absence of an insurance requirement; a student residence card assumes enrolment at an approved institution | Health/repatriation insurance strongly recommended as for all residents; Senegal's CMU is not automatic for a foreign student |
| Seconded employee / expat | Agreement excludes sickness cover | Private cover or CFE needed |
| Retiree | No health cover via the agreement | CFE or private insurance essential |
Hospitals and care network
- Hôpital Principal de Dakar — former French military hospital founded in 1833, public reference.
- Clinique de la Madeleine (Dakar) — private reference for expats and diplomats, doctors trained in France.
- Institut Pasteur de Dakar — reference for vaccination and infectious diseases.
Practical steps
- Before departure: an assistance contract covering hospitalisation and health costs.
- Registration recommended with the roll of French nationals living abroad (Dakar embassy).
- Voluntary CFE affiliation recommended in the absence of health coordination.
- Low-income households: partial help with the CFE contribution on application with the embassy's social service.
Frequently asked questions
Is health insurance mandatory to settle in Senegal?
Not legally, but strongly recommended by France Diplomatie — hospitals require payment for care in advance without cover.
Is Senegal's CMU accessible to a French resident?
Not confirmed with certainty from an official source dedicated to expats; the CMU primarily targets low-income residents and the local informal economy.
Does French social security cover me in Senegal?
Not for sickness: the 1974 agreement explicitly excludes this branch. Only maternity, old age and family benefits are coordinated.
Moving to Senegal? Get a quote
Written by Expavy
Sources
- France Diplomatie — Senegal, Health
- CLEISS — France-Senegal social security agreement
- French Embassy in Dakar — Health costs
- World Bank — Life expectancy, Senegal
- France Diplomatie — Register of French nationals living abroad (carte-registre)
- PressAfrik — MRI in Senegal: patients' ordeal, between excessive costs and machine breakdowns
- Le Petit Journal Dakar — Obtaining a foreigner's card in Senegal
- Ministry of Health and Social Action (Senegal) — Discovering the national SAMU (free number 1515)
- SOS Médecins Sénégal — Rates (consultations and visits; ambulance not publicly priced)