Do Residents of the Slums of African Capitals Have Access to Cesarean Sections? The Example of Dakar (Senegal)

Abstract

Physical and financial barriers to accessing cesarean section, which affect poor women more, are the main factors explaining high rates of maternal and neonatal mortality in low-income countries. To deal with this situation, several countries in sub-Saharan Africa launched free cesarean section policies in the early 2000s, including Senegal. In Senegal, little evidence has been produced to understand disparities in access to cesarean section, specifically in the slums of the city of Dakar. This study aims to fill this gap. It first seeks to map the coverage of structures offering cesarean sections in the slums of Dakar and then to analyze the way in which women who live in these areas of poverty benefit from this obstetrical act.