Warden Message: Senegal H1N1 Precautionary Information, No Reported Cases

Consular Affairs Bulletins Report

U.S. Embassy Dakar issued the following Warden Message on November 4:

This Warden Message alerts U.S. citizens to the latest information regarding human cases of 2009-H1N1 influenza, sometimes referred to as novel H1N1 or swine flu.

The Senegalese Ministry of Health has reported no cases of H1N1 influenza in Senegal to date. Senegalese authorities have not, at this time, imposed screening, quarantine, or vaccination requirements with regards to H1N1 influenza for travelers entering or leaving the territory of Senegal.

If you are quarantined or placed in isolation due to H1N1 influenza, please contact the U. S. Embassy at (221) 33-829-2100 and let us know, so we can monitor your situation.  However, please be aware that the Embassy cannot demand your immediate release if you have been detained or quarantined in accordance with local public health and legal authorities.

Due to legal restrictions and a lack of sufficient resources, the Embassy is not in a position to provide private citizens with pandemic-related supplies, medications or medical treatment, including vaccines, and cannot provide specific medical advice.  Questions and concerns about influenza or other illnesses should be directed to a medical professional.  A list of local hospitals and doctors can be found on our website under American Citizen Services, then select Emergency Services, or use this link: http://dakar.usembassy.gov/service/living-in-senegal-and-guinea-bissau/medical-care-in-senegal.html .

The Ministry of Health strongly recommends that any traveler with symptoms suggesting influenza should report ASAP to a medical center or call the SUMA (Service d’Urgence Médicale et d’Assistance):

S.U.M.A. at Blvd. Cheikh Anta Diop, Off. 33 824-2418/ 33 824-7191

The Ministry of Health has identified the following medical centers to receive potential H1N1 patients:

Adults:

Hopital Principal de Dakar
Ave. Nelson Mandela & Roume
Tel. (+221) 33 839- 5050
Fax: (221) 33 839-5002.
Chief of the Emergency Department – Colonel Mapathe Seck  (221) 33 839-5489.  Go to the Emergency Room at the main entrance. (Major trauma Hospital)
e-mail: hopitalprincipal@hpd.sn
Web: Http://www.hopitalprincipal.sn

Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Fann, (known as CHU or Hopital Fann)
Avenue Cheikh Anta Diop
Tel (+221) 33 869 1818
Director of the Hospital: Daouda Diene
Head of the Emergency department
(Chef Service d’Urgences): Dr. Alioune Dieng
Tel (+221) 33 869 1820

Children:

Hôpital d’enfants Albert Royer (part of Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Fann)
Tel. (+221) 33 825 0308

For more information on how to prepare for a severe pandemic, please see the State Department "Pandemic Influenza Fact Sheet" and "Options During a Pandemic" flyer located on www.travel.state.gov.  Detailed information about 2009-H1N1 influenza can be found on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/, the U.S. Government's federal influenza website at http://www.flu.gov, and the World Health Organization website at http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html.

U.S. citizens residing or traveling in Senegal and Guinea Bissau are encouraged to register with the Embassy through the State Department's travel registration website, https://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs/ui/, to obtain updated travel and security information.  U.S. citizens without Internet access may register directly with the Embassy. Registration is important: it allows the Embassy and the State Department to assist you in an emergency.

The Embassy is located at
Avenue Jean XXIII, B.P. 49, Dakar, Senegal
The Embassy telephone number is (221) 33-829-2100
The Embassy fax number is (221) 33-822-5903.
For after-hours emergencies, please call (221)76-383-9566