Criticized for not having fulfilled his commitment to provide 800 million CFA francs in support to Touba hospitals during the 2024 Magal, the Minister of Health and Social Action, Dr. Ibrahima Sy, provided clarifications. He returned to the health arrangements for the celebration of the departure into exile of Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba Khadim Rassoul. The Minister of Health was received respectively by Serigne Mountakha Mbacké and his spokesperson Serigne Bassirou Mbacké Abdou Khadr.

Reasons for failure to comply with the commitment

"Last year, the government committed to making available an advance fund of 800 million. Now, you know, we are in the planning stages. It must be said that last year, the government faced significant cash flow pressures, which resulted in the Ministry of Health having to cut its budget by 6 billion to address three issues," the minister explained.

He detailed these three emergencies: "The floods were an emergency, and the government was looking for money everywhere in the national budget. Second, there were contract workers at the Ministry of Health. We had a gap of 5.7 billion to fill starting in September. The previous government had not made the provision for us to be able to pay the contract workers. Lastly, there is the problem of radiotherapy."

More than 1.5 billion spent in the end

The minister was keen to point out that despite the non-payment of the promised 800 million, the State ultimately spent more: "Certainly, we did not put in the 800 million, but we spent more than 1.5 billion in the meantime."

He detailed these investments: "We invested in maintenance, which didn't exist, for almost 450 million. We also returned to invest in updating the accelerator for radiotherapy, and that's 500 million. Currently, I'm at almost 1 billion with the Khadim Rassoul hospital alone."

"We gave to the health district, we gave to the Ndamatou hospital, we gave to Khadim Rassoul and we are at approximately 150 million CFA francs. This is equipment that will be used, which will generate money and perhaps even more than the 800 million that we wanted to put at the level of these health structures," he added.

Satisfaction with the current system

The minister expressed his satisfaction with the organization of the health system for this edition: "I would first like to congratulate the religious authorities of Touba, starting with the Caliph and also the spokesperson for the warm welcome we received, and congratulate the organizing committee for the work that has been done, which is tremendous."

He also welcomed "the administrative authorities, starting with the governor, the prefect, the sub-prefect, the health authorities with the regional director of Health and the regional director of Social Action."

Precautions and wishes

"What I see comforts and reassures me about the organization of the system to date. Now, we are never safe from risk because we never know what will happen during the Magal," acknowledged Dr. Ibrahima Sy.

The minister expressed his wishes: "What we hope is to not have many accidents so that staff are not overwhelmed. We also hope that there will be no rain that day so that the health facilities and advanced medical posts that have been set up can be accessible to people who really need care."

He concluded by specifying that there is "a planning which was made on the basis of the needs which were evaluated by the organizing committee and which was taken into account within the framework of the organization of this Magal of Touba".