Current Position
Minister of Health and Social Action, Senegal
Background
Appointed on April 5, 2024 in Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko’s government under President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, Dr. Ibrahima Sy brings a rich academic and multidisciplinary experience to his role as Minister of Health and Social Action. He completed a PhD in health geography at Strasbourg, later lecturing there and conducting research in Côte d’Ivoire and Mauritania for institutes such as Swiss-TPH and the CSRS. Since 2017, he held an assistant professorship in the Geography Department at UCAD, while also serving as an associate researcher at the Centre de Suivi Écologique in Dakar.
Experience
Over more than 13 years, he served as an international health consultant for WHO, the Global Fund, UNICEF, AFD, Save the Children, and other organizations.
Expertise
His scientific interests span spatial epidemiology, water sanitation, climate and urban health policy. Known among colleagues and students for his modesty and pedagogy, Dr. Sy blends scholarly rigour with pragmatic health leadership.
Achievements
Upon becoming minister, he immediately spearheaded a national measles and rubella campaign in December 2024, targeting children aged nine months to fourteen years, aiming to reach at least 80 percent vaccination coverage and prevent a looming epidemic.
