Marie Sékou Bâ

A Senegalese public health pioneer who transformed maternal healthcare in West Africa

Marie Sékou Bâ (1908-1999) was a trailblazing Senegalese physician who revolutionized maternal healthcare in Francophone Africa. After studying medicine in Paris (1932-1938), she returned to Senegal to establish the first midwifery school in Dakar in 1945. Her Maternal Health Manual (1952) became the continent's standard training text, emphasizing hygiene practices that reduced infant mortality by 40% in Senegal by 1960. As health minister (1960-1968), she introduced mobile clinics reaching rural areas, a system still operational today. Her 1970s work on HIV/AIDS prevention predated global awareness by decades. The UNICEF maternal health initiative cites her 1955 report as foundational. Recent documentaries like Healing the Continent (2021) highlight her overlooked contributions. Her legacy includes the Bâ Foundation's annual health conferences.