Health financing: parliamentarians, local elected officials and civil society mobilized to strengthen domestic resources

The headquarters of the National AIDS Control Council (CNLS) hosted an important advocacy workshop on Tuesday focused on mobilizing domestic resources within the framework of the country dialogue for the Global Fund's GC8 funding request. Organized by the Monitoring, Surveillance, and Alert Committee (CSVA), in partnership with Coalition Plus and Expertise France, this meeting brought together parliamentarians, local elected officials, private sector stakeholders, health program managers, and civil society organizations. This initiative comes at a global time marked by dwindling international funding for health. After more than two decades of massive Global Fund investments in the fight against HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria, the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the withdrawal of several partners, notably USAID, have weakened the financing mechanisms for health programs in several countries, including Senegal.

Participants particularly emphasized the more than 30% reduction in the Global Fund allocation for Senegal for the GC8 cycle covering the period 2027-2029. This situation underscores the urgent need to develop endogenous financing mechanisms to prevent a reversal of the gains made in the fight against major pandemics.

Dr. Cheikhou Sakho, a physician at the Directorate General of Health, emphasized the need for Senegal to gradually reduce its dependence on external funding. "We are in a global context of dwindling resources and heightened competition for funding. Until now, our programs have been largely dependent on external financing. Today, it is essential to mobilize more domestic resources to sustainably support health programs," he stated. He also stressed the need for a multisectoral approach to health, believing that all ministerial departments must contribute to improving the health conditions of the population.

Aïssatou Ndiaye, head of the CSVA (National Council for the Fight Against Healthcare Expenditure), reiterated that this workshop aims to raise awareness among parliamentarians and local elected officials about the challenges related to healthcare financing. "Healthcare in Senegal is currently threatened by the scarcity of international resources. We must mobilize domestic resources to preserve the gains achieved thanks to international partners," she explained. She also advocated for a reform of the budget classification system for local authorities to ensure that healthcare expenditures are better integrated into local budgets.

Papa Abdoulaye Dème, Africa coordinator for Coalition Plus, echoed this sentiment, stating that the sustainability of the health response can no longer rely solely on external aid. “After more than twenty years of progress in the fight against HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria, we are facing new challenges linked to declining international funding. It is becoming essential to rethink financing mechanisms and strengthen national and local investments,” he argued. Dr. Awa Diagne of the National AIDS Control Council, for her part, emphasized the need to strengthen Senegal’s health sovereignty through increased and sustainable mobilization of national resources. “Health should not be seen as a burden, but as a crucial investment for the country’s economic and social development,” she affirmed.

Present at the meeting on behalf of the National Assembly's Health Committee, MP Boye Baby welcomed the initiative, which comes at a crucial time for the future of financing the Senegalese healthcare system. "Mobilizing internal resources is no longer an option. It has become a strategic necessity to guarantee the continuity of health programs and preserve the gains achieved through so much effort," she stated.

At the end of these two days of work, the organizers hope to arrive at strong recommendations aimed at strengthening the commitment of public authorities, local authorities and the private sector to sustainable financing of health in Senegal.