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PRIMARY CARE

In developing countries, non-communicable diseases are responsible for the death of 36 million people per year and account for 90% of premature deaths (death before 60 years of age). 

The principal causes of this deaths are:

Cardiovascular diseases

(17.3 million deaths per year)

Cancers

(7.6 million)

Respiratory Diseases

(4.2 million)

According to the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) in June 2017, the maternal mortality rate in Senegal remains critical at five deaths per day, and the pediatric/neonatal death rate improved from 145 deaths per 1000 live births in 2000 to 54 deaths per 1000 live births in 2014. The pediatric death rate even though still high has decreased by 60% since 2000, and now in Senegal, one child per 20 dies before age five which amounts to 74 children per day. 45 % of the pediatric deaths are from malnutrition. 

The neonatal population accounts for a lot of those deaths with 19 deaths per 1000 live births (37%) from mainly prematurity, neonatal hypoxia, infections, and others.

Primary prevention against the major noncommunicable diseases and that involves screening for chronic diseases, appropriate management, and education through a primary care system will improve healthcare in Senegal.

Better prenatal care with early recognition of pregnancy complications, better delivery conditions with trained personnel, postnatal care, newborn resuscitation training, newborn care, breastfeeding, and nutritional education, and immunization programs will decrease maternal and pediatric/neonatal mortality.

Immunization programs in Senegal have been effective, and now 74% of children below age five have been vaccinated against the twelve significant children illnesses:

(tuberculosis, poliomyelitis, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B, Haemophilus Influenzae B, pneumonia, measles, rubella, yellow fever, and rotavirus.)