Medical evacuation from Senegal to Morocco: how do you prepare a patient’s transfer?

Departing from Dakar: the airport is not in town

Blaise Diagne International Airport is located in Diass, far from central Dakar and the main hospitals. For a vulnerable patient, this road journey matters: it is made, if necessary, by ambulance with the planned oxygen and monitoring, and its timing is matched to the flight to avoid a long wait at the airport. A patient in hospital in Thiès or Mbour, closer to the airport, can sometimes go there directly.

Coming from Casamance or inland

Patients from Ziguinchor, Kolda or Sédhiou are a long way from Dakar, and the road crosses or goes around The Gambia. For a stable patient, a domestic flight or the sea link may be considered depending on what is available at the time; for a seriously ill patient, the team may consider medical transport from the nearest town with a suitable runway to be safer. The choice lies with the doctors and the transport operator. Patients from Saint-Louis, Tambacounda or Kédougou are in the same situation: the first journey is part of the evacuation.

Language of documents and time zone

French is the official language and the language of medical reports: the file can be read as it is in Morocco. As Wolof and other national languages are widely spoken, a companion who understands the patient well and speaks French makes information and consent easier. Senegal is on UTC+0; Morocco is on UTC+1 for most of the year and UTC+0 during Ramadan. Stating the local time of each vital sign and each test avoids misunderstandings.

The medical file to prepare

• a recent summary letter from the treating doctor or department, with the reason for transfer;
• hospital, imaging and laboratory reports, dated;
• the imaging files themselves, on CD, USB stick or download link;
• the pathology report in the case of cancer;
• current treatments, allergies and medical history.

These documents can be sent by email or WhatsApp before any travel.

Funding and entry into Morocco

The family, an insurer, an employer or a body may fund the care pathway; prior approval is requested before departure, with the medical report and a detailed estimate. Entry requirements for Morocco depend on nationality and change over time: they are checked with the Moroccan embassy in Dakar or on the official websites of the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for the patient as well as the companion.

Preparing the return

Before discharge, the patient receives the reports, prescriptions using international non-proprietary names and a follow-up schedule for their doctor in Senegal. It helps to check that the prescribed medicines are available in Senegal, and to plan the journey from the airport to home, especially if the patient is returning to a region.

Frequently asked questions