Senegal - Support to federative structures of Community based Social Protection Schemes (SPSC)

The mutual organizations supported by STEP in Senegal are concentrated in the regions of Dakar, Kaolack and Diourbel. Since 1997, mutual organizations in Dakar have started to organize themselves in a union in order to be better represented, in particular regarding health authorities and to beneficiate from different technical services (guarantee funds, development of financial statements of end of the year, etc.).

With the support of STEP-Senegal, the UMSD is actually developing activities to set up a package of common technical and financial services. The Union has carried out an inventory and diagnosis of the mutual organizations of the region, as well as a study on the average costs of health services. It has also engaged an internal restructuring process in order to adapt its bodies to its new functions and has also carried out education and technical support activities to member mutual organizations.

UMSD has started, with the support of STEP in Senegal and the French Cooperation, a reinforcement program for member mutual organizations in need. Moreover, the setting up of a guarantee fund constitutes one of the mechanisms on which the union has started an advanced reflection.

In Kaolack and Diourbel, mutual organizations have gathered in regional unions: UMUSARK (Union des Mutuelles de Santé de la Région de Kaolack) and CORMUSAD (Coordination des Mutuelles de Santé de Diourbel). Both of these unions have similar objectives of representation and technical and financial support to their members.

More information

• UMSD project presentation document