The Senegalese Association of Urology (ASU) has been organizing its 4th Congress in Saly (Thiès region) since last Thursday, combined with the PAUSA regional congress, to highlight the evolution of cutting-edge surgery related to urology.

This major event, which concludes tomorrow, brings together specialists of various nationalities to exchange ideas on urology in West Africa, including workshops, clinical sharing and continuing education.

Appointed moderator of the panel on kidney transplantation in Senegal, Dr. El Hadji Séga Guèye, Director General of the Senegalese Agency for Universal Health Coverage (SEN-CSU), expressed his satisfaction with Senegal's progress in providing dialysis and kidney transplantation services. "Through SEN-CSU, Senegal has committed to making dialysis free for kidney failure patients who undergo hemodialysis sessions in public health facilities. Furthermore, since 2025, the Agency has been fully and freely covering kidney transplantation costs."

Three donor-recipient pairs have already been treated, and this year we intend to take on many more pairs, not only to reduce the number of patients on dialysis, but also to ease the burden on families and save money at the same time. "We have a short-term goal of having zero patients on the waiting list, and we will achieve it," declared the Director General of SEN-CSU, addressing an audience of doctors and healthcare professionals of various nationalities. Among them was Algeria, which has made significant progress in the field of kidney transplantation since the first successful transplant in 1986 at Mustapha University Hospital. Although the pace remains insufficient to meet the growing demand, the country has developed considerable technical expertise, particularly through kidney donation from living related donors.

These advances were strongly welcomed by the participants, including Burkina Faso and Mauritania, who were "satisfied" with the progress made by Senegal and Algeria, which have resolutely made kidney transplantation a priority to relieve kidney failure.