During January 15-21, 2024, we visited the Republic of Senegal in West Africa. The purpose was to make a courtesy visit to Cheikh Anta Diop University (UCAD) in the capital of Dakar, from which Dr. Leon Amath Ndiaye joined the Kansai Medical University (KMU) International Postgraduate Program (IPP) in 2022 as one of the first-generation students. UCAD was established in 1957 as the 18th French Public University, affiliated with the University of Paris and University of Bordeaux. A new campus was built under the University of Dakar, which became the largest and most prestigious university in French West Africa. In 1987, it was renamed in honor of Cheikh Anta Diop, Senegalese philosopher and anthropologist.
It is a comprehensive university with a medical school, which is an eight-year program with approximately 1,000 students enrolled. This was the first time a physician from Senegal was sent to Japan. During the visit, we provided a detailed introduction of KMU and the IPP program.
Prof. Bara NDIAYE (Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, far left)
Next, we visited the Embassy of Japan in Senegal, which had been instrumental in accepting international students. We met with Ambassador Osamu Izawa and described the background to the ties between KMU and Senegal, including the efforts of Mr. Issei Inoue (Honorary Consul of the Republic of Senegal in Osaka), who worked to promote the friendship between our university and Senegal, and of Dr. Akio Baba (Department of Otolaryngology, KMU), who contributed to the establishing the local clinic called “Clinic Tomo”. Afterwards, we were invited to a discussion meeting and dinner hosted by the ambassador. We received great assistance from Ambassador Izawa, First Secretary Ms.Takita, the Medical Attaché Dr. Nakamura at the embassy, which we would like to express our deep gratitude to these individuals. Currently, the embassy provides Japanese language education and encourages talented young people to study in Japan.
The following day, we visited the Centre National d’Appareillage Orthopédique (CNAO). The facility visit was arranged through an introduction from the Ambassador of the Republic of Senegal in Japan, Mr. Jean Antoine Diouf. Equipped with the most advanced facilities in West Africa, the center provides orthopedic rehabilitation, research into prosthetics, and training for athletes. They expressed interest in sending technicians to study in the future.
