Between 2000 and 2017, Senegal's neonatal mortality rate (NMR) nearly halved from 38 to 21 per 1000 live births, for an annual average mortality reduction of 3.3%. During the same time, the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) decreased from an estimated 553 to 315 per 100,000 live births, or an annual average reduction of 3.4%. These reductions exceeded the West Africa region's annual mean reductions, which were 1.9% for both NMR and MMR, and the mean for all Sub-Saharan African countries, which 2.1% for NMR and 2.8% for MMR. Senegal's performance remained better than average when the mortality improvements were adjusted for its economic growth during 2000-2017 as measured by gross national incomes per capita, and the trends are not distorted by conflicts or disasters, or by the HIV epidemic. Data availability and quality on neonatal mortality is very good, while data on maternal mortality are more minimal.

Senegal has developed a strategic Integrating Reproductive, Maternal, Neonatal, Infant and Adolescent Health plan (RMNCAH) for the period 2016-2020 and a Global Financing Facility (GFF) investment case called  Réduction de la Mortalité Maternelle, Néonatale, Infanto-juvénile, des adolescents et des jeunes: Dossier d’Investissement. The GFF portfolio is aligned with the vision of the RMNCAH 2016-2020 plan inspired by the SDGs, the poverty reduction plan called the Plan Sénégal Emergent (PSE) and the Global Strategy 2.0 to achieve the vision of “a Senegal where every woman, every child and every young person shall enjoy his or her right to health and well-being in an equitable manner; and can fully participate in the building of an emerging Senegal."  

The RMNCAH investment framework focuses on strategies to address major bottlenecks - such as affordability, socio-cultural acceptability, health system performance and effective coverage - and gaps and will help Senegal achieve the sustainable development goal targets related to maternal and child health.

Khaly Gueye was selected as a Countdown fellow for 2024.

The country collaborations’s products will include:

• Scoping review of key indicators on existing data in the field of RMNCAH+N in Senegal
• Two in-depth data analysis workshops of key indicators including coverage, equity, geospatial, qualitative, and possibility to include RMNCH financing indicators.
• One research capacity strengthening workshop.
• Two country-led journal articles.
• Two policy briefs; one country factsheet.
• One endline national dissemination event.
• Mid-term report and endline report, including recommendations to improve monitoring and reporting of RMNCAH indicators.
• Senegal is also a participant in the Urban Health Project 

Senegal has also completed (not available for online publication):

1. A report on the national and subnational coverage of reproductive, maternal, neonatal and child health services based on demographic and health survey (DHS) data
2. An analysis report of RMNCAH+N indicators
3. A policy brief on Senegal being an exemplary country for reducing maternal and neonatal mortality