The Foundation for a Healthier Senegal’s Second Annual Walk invited community members, both young and old, from across the city to embark on a non-competitive five kilometers trek up the Almadies Corniche and back to Clinic Yaye Natou to advocate for a healthier and more active lifestyle.
On a bright Saturday morning, participants adorned in T-shirts with messages promoting diabetes and hypertension prevention, gathered at Clinic Yaye Natou in Ngor for a morning walk and consultation. FOHSEN’s Co-founder, Dr. Saloum Cisse, along with a group of professionals that included nurses and medical students provided free screenings and shared best practices on how to lead a healthier and more active lifestyle. Following the screenings, Dr Magnick Bakhoum, a neurologist from the “Association Sénégalaise de Soutien aux Patients et Familles Victimes d’AVC” (ASP-AVC) shared valuable information on nutrition, exercise, stress management and overall health maintenance. As one walker noted, “I’m usually a very active person, but today’s event allowed me to get a good sense of where my health stands.” Volunteers from ASP- AVC were present to speak with patients, share insightful tips and answer personal questions about their health. Following the learning sessions, a fitness coach led the walkers through a rigorous round of twirls and twists to warm up for the hot walk ahead of them.
The event also permitted FOHSEN to bring attention to cardiovascular diseases. As Dr. Cisse mentioned to SenTV, “ We want to make sure that we share with people what they can do to prevent diabetes and hypertension; it is not only eating and drinking the right things, but also exercising regularly. Senegal is currently facing an epidemic of hypertension and diabetes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that approximately 30% of the population in Senegal is believed to suffer from hypertension.
“We know that in terms of access to preventive care services, rural communities face an even larger battle than urban settings like Dakar. Our goal is to make sure we continue to bring attention to cardiovascular diseases as not only a national epidemic but also as a challenge that families in the hardest-to-reach places are battling as well.” added FOHSEN’s Program Director, Dr Soukeyna Gueye.
