Health & safety

Senegal Health & Safety: Malaria, Casamance and Emergency Numbers

Senegal is generally regarded as one of the safer West African countries for tourism, and most trips pass without incident. A handful of practical health and safety points are still worth knowing before you go, starting with the mandatory yellow fever certificate — which functions as an entry requirement rather than as a health recommendation.

Updated 2026-08-16

Malaria Is Endemic Year-Round

Malaria is present throughout Senegal year-round and peaks during the rainy season (roughly June to October), when standing water after rains increases mosquito breeding. Antimalarial prophylaxis, taken as prescribed by a travel health professional before, during and after the trip, is strongly recommended regardless of when you visit, alongside the standard practical measures — mosquito repellent, covering up at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active, and sleeping under a treated net where accommodation doesn't already provide screened or air-conditioned rooms.

Petty Theft and the Casamance

Senegal is among the safer West African countries for tourists, and the main practical concern for most visitors is petty theft — pickpocketing and bag-snatching in Dakar's busy markets and crowded areas, and around tourist zones in Saly and the Petite Côte during peak season — the same low-level vigilance worth exercising in any busy destination. The Casamance region, south of the Gambia, is the one part of the country where the usual ease doesn't fully apply: it has experienced periods of low-level instability historically, and checking your home government's current travel advisory before independent travel there is worth doing specifically, rather than relying on general impressions of Senegal's overall safety.

Emergency Numbers

In an emergency, dial 17 for police, 18 for fire services, or 1515 for the SAMU medical emergency line. English-speaking response on these lines isn't always guaranteed, so for a faster or more reliable response, hotel front desks are generally a practical first point of contact, and Dakar and Saly both have a dedicated Police Touristique (tourist police) unit set up specifically to assist visitors.

Frequently asked questions

It's strongly recommended — malaria is endemic year-round across Senegal, peaking during the rainy season roughly June to October. Combine prescribed prophylaxis with repellent, covering up at dawn and dusk, and sleeping under a net where accommodation doesn't provide screened or air-conditioned rooms.

Yes, generally — it's regarded as one of the safer West African countries for tourism, with petty theft in busy markets and tourist areas the main practical concern. The Casamance region is the exception worth checking a current government advisory for before independent travel there.

17 for police, 18 for fire, or 1515 for the SAMU medical emergency line. Hotel front desks are a practical first point of contact if English-speaking response matters, and Dakar and Saly both have a dedicated Police Touristique unit for visitors.

Part of the Senegal guide.

Visaja keeps this page's contact details and visa guidance under continuous review — still, requirements can change at short notice, so confirm the essentials with the mission or the official government portal before you travel.