Latest news with #SerigneMbaye
Zawya
05-08-2025
- Health
- Zawya
Inauguration of New Dental Clinic and Groundbreaking of Dental Training Center at Cheikh Anta Diop University
A landmark moment for dental education and access to oral healthcare in Senegal was celebrated this weekend at the Department of Dentistry of Cheikh Anta Diop University (UCAD) in Dakar. Mercy Ships ( in partnership with the Institute of Odontology and Stomatology (IOS), the Ministry of Health and Social Action, and other key stakeholders, inaugurated a brand-new dental clinic and officially laid the foundation stone for a new dental training center, two major projects aimed at transforming dental training and care in Senegal. The ceremony brought together senior representatives from government, academia, the healthcare sector, and Mercy Ships. The event marked both a celebration and a shared commitment to improving oral health services in the country. 'These two infrastructures meet multiple objectives: strengthening national capacities, improving access to quality oral care, by fully integrating initial training into supervised clinical practice,' said Serigne Mbaye, Secretary General of the Ministry of Health and Social Action. The newly renovated prosthodontics clinic, now fully operational, is equiped with 10 dental chairs and a dedicated radiology room. 'Today marks the tangible launch of an ambitious public health initiative, founded on the core values of dignity, solidarity, and equitable access to healthcare,' stated Professor Bara Ndiaye, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Pharmacy, and Dentistry. The second major development is the upcoming dental training center, designed to further strengthen training infrastructure. Once completed within the next two years, the center will offer 30 dental chairs for increasing specialization for the sub-region, creating a significant boost in both educational and clinical services. 'This collaboration reflects Mercy Ships' long-term commitment to sustainable healthcare capacity building in Senegal and across West Africa,' said David Ugai, Country Director for Guinea at Mercy Ships. This milestone is a direct result of a strong partnership between Mercy Ships, UCAD, and national health and education institutions, working together toward the shared goal of empowering a new generation of dental professionals and expanding access to quality oral healthcare for all. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Mercy Ships. For more information: Gilchrist Koutob Managing Director of the Mercy Ships Africa Service Center. ABOUT MERCY SHIPS: Mercy Ships operates hospital ships that deliver free surgeries and other healthcare services to those with little access to safe medical care. An international faith-based organization, Mercy Ships has focused entirely on partnering with nations in Africa for the past three decades. Working with in-country partners, Mercy Ships also provides training to local healthcare professionals and supports the construction of in-country medical infrastructure to leave a lasting impact. Each year, more than 2,500 volunteer professionals from over 60 countries serve on board the world's two largest non-governmental hospital ships, the Africa Mercy and the Global Mercy. Professionals such as surgeons, dentists, nurses, health trainers, cooks, and engineers dedicate their time and skills to accelerate access to safe surgical and anesthetic care. Mercy Ships was founded in 1978 and has offices in 16 countries as well as an Africa Service Center in Dakar, Senegal. For more information, visit and follow @ MercyShips on social media.
Axios
02-04-2025
- Business
- Axios
Michelin is coming: What that means for New Orleans
The Michelin Guide will soon offer its sought-after recommendations for restaurants in the U.S. South, potentially offering stars to New Orleans restaurants, the company announced Wednesday. Why it matters: A Michelin star is one of the restaurant world's top honors, and having one can launch a chef's career into the culinary stratosphere. The latest: Michelin Guide inspectors are already scoping out restaurants in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. Their experiences will result in an elite group of restaurant selections, which the company will share in a ceremony. It's not yet clear when that will be, the company said in a press release. Catch up quick: The prestigious list of Michelin-starred restaurants began with the advent of car travel, when hungry motorists in France benefited from recommendations for the new places they visited. Go deeper. It first expanded to North America in 2005. Between the lines: It's no guarantee that New Orleans will end up with a restaurant — let alone more than one — with a Michelin star. But the idea of it, a possibility foodies around town have talked about for years, could push the city's restaurants even harder toward greatness. "New Orleans has always been a beacon of culinary excellence, and the arrival of the Michelin Guide brings an exciting opportunity to showcase our city's vibrant food scene on a global scale," says Serigne Mbaye, who worked in Michelin-starred restaurants before opening Dakar NOLA. What they're saying: "Whatever pushes all of us is good for this city and this food scene, and we have this very adoring-of-each-other competition in this town, but that competition is good," says Commander's Palace co-proprietor Ti Martin. "All of this pushes us forward, and that's good for our whole city and region." Yes, but: Upping the ante for the possibility of a Michelin star doesn't necessarily come cheap. Emeril's Restaurant, for example, underwent a multimillion-dollar renovation in recent years and took a turn toward the kind of menu approach that might appeal to Michelin Inspectors. Martin, for one, is glad Commander's Palace recently renovated, too. "But shoot, I wish [our new chairs] had already arrived," she laughed. How it works: Michelin inspectors visit restaurants anonymously and look for five criteria, the company says. Per a press release, they include: quality products the harmony of flavors the mastery of cooking techniques the voice and personality of the chef as reflected in the cuisine consistency between each visit and throughout the menu. Each restaurant is inspected several times a year. The bottom line: "There are so many more great restaurants in New Orleans than in most cities that it's inevitable to leave off a lot of great places," Martin says.
