Awa Diba went into labor in Dakar, Senegal, just before health workers were scheduled to strike, highlighting the pressures on the country's public healthcare system. Diba shared a hospital room with four other women, experiencing inadequate facilities and intermittent electricity. She expressed concern about the state of the healthcare system after giving birth to a healthy daughter. Diba, who grew up in Casamance and studied digital communication, noted the difficulty of finding work in her field in Senegal, where the unemployment rate for those aged 15 to 34 was 28.4% in early 2026, according to the National Agency of Statistics and Demography (ANSD).
As of late 2024, there were 5,236 registered doctors in Senegal, with 4,407 in the public sector. Dr. Marc Manga from the medical union SAMES emphasized that the issue extends beyond the number of healthcare professionals, citing a lack of basic equipment and the need for patients to travel long distances for diagnoses. On September 16 and 17, healthcare workers went on strike, disrupting routine medical services while emergency care continued. SAMES has called for increased recruitment, improved working conditions, and more investment in healthcare facilities, particularly outside the capital.
Senegal's economy grew by 6.7% in 2025, driven by oil and gas production, but the country also faces a significant debt burden, with public-sector debt estimated at 132% of GDP by the end of 2024. Government audits revealed previously undisclosed borrowing, leading to revisions of debt figures. President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has sought discussions with the IMF and World Bank for financial relief and has advocated for broader debt relief for African nations at the United Nations.
In June 2026, former Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko supported reparations for Africa regarding the transatlantic slave trade. Diba aims to specialize in haematology to care for patients with serious illnesses, noting the fear many have when entering hospitals. She remarked that public healthcare often comes with costs for consultations, tests, and treatments, leading patients to delay seeking care until their conditions worsen. After a challenging labor, Diba left the hospital with her daughter, reflecting on her desire for a better future for her child within a strained healthcare system.