The verdict in three sentences
A group of 4 private clinics should plan roughly USD 18,000 to 32,000 (about AED 66,000 to 118,000) for a serious trilingual corporate website, then around USD 250 per month for hosting and maintenance. What moves the budget is not design but booking connected to the HIS (hospital information system) and the directory of 140 synced doctor profiles. A local agency or a French-speaking offshore agency can both deliver, provided you demand real Arabic RTL support and a data protection compliance plan.
The real scope of a private hospital group website
The communications director is not ordering a brochure site. It is a platform serving three audiences: resident patients, medical tourists from the region and Africa, and doctors the group wants to recruit.
| Module | Expected content | Share of budget |
|---|---|---|
| Trilingual site EN/AR/FR | Full RTL layout for Arabic, dedicated typography | 15 to 20% |
| Doctor directory | 140 profiles, filters by specialty, clinic, language | 15% |
| Booking | API link to the HIS, real-time slots, SMS reminders | 25 to 30% |
| Facility pages | 4 clinics, equipment, access, emergencies | 10% |
| Careers area | Openings, online application, simple ATS | 8% |
| Compliance and security | Health data law, consent, encryption | 10% |
| Local health SEO | Specialty pages by district and city | 7 to 10% |
RTL is often underestimated. An Arabic translation without mirrored grids, directional icons and forms looks amateurish to an Arabic-speaking audience that drives a large share of health searches.
Local agency or French-speaking offshore agency: the comparison
| Criterion | Local agency | French-speaking offshore agency (e.g. Dakar) |
|---|---|---|
| Full site budget | USD 22,000 to 32,000 | USD 18,000 to 26,000 |
| Announced timeline | 12 to 16 weeks | 12 weeks |
| Arabic RTL expertise | Native | Check references |
| HIS connection | Depends on vendor | Depends on vendor, REST API or HL7 FHIR |
| On-site meetings | Easy | Video + 1 to 2 trips |
| Monthly maintenance | USD 250 to 400 | USD 250 |
| Tech stack | Often WordPress | Next.js + headless CMS |
| Invoicing | Local currency + VAT | USD or EUR, depending on setup |
The real watch point is the HIS vendor. Some hospital systems expose a documented API, others require a paid connector billed at USD 3,000 to 6,000 by the vendor itself. That cost must appear in the initial quote, not as a change order in week 9.
The 12-week schedule
| Weeks | Deliverable | Sign-off at the group |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 2 | Scoping, sitemap, HIS API audit | Communications + IT |
| 3 to 4 | EN mockups then AR (RTL) | Executive management |
| 5 to 8 | Development, directory, booking integration | IT |
| 6 to 9 | Writing and translation of medical content | Medical director |
| 10 to 11 | Testing, load tests, data compliance | DPO, IT |
| 12 | Go-live and team training | Communications |
Medical translation into Arabic must be reviewed by a health professional. Plan USD 1,500 to 2,500 for this item if you have no in-house translator.
Mini case study
Nadia, communications director of a 4-clinic group, notes that 35% of appointments go through the switchboard, which handles 900 calls per week. Each booking call takes 4 minutes on average.
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
- Goal: move 40% of bookings online, i.e. 360 fewer calls per week.
- Time freed: 360 x 4 minutes = 24 hours per week, about 0.6 of a receptionist position.
- Avoided cost: about USD 420 per month in loaded payroll, versus USD 250 maintenance.
- Chosen budget: USD 24,500. Adding 6 new surgical patients per month from the web at USD 1,800 average margin, the investment is covered in under 3 months.
FAQ
Does the site need data protection registration?
Yes, as soon as it collects health data through booking or forms. Health data rules require prior notification or approval, to be planned 4 to 6 weeks before go-live.
Can we display consultation prices?
Yes for consultations and some flat-fee procedures, and it cuts information calls by 20 to 30%. Surgical procedures stay on personalised quotes.
How much does adding a fifth clinic later cost?
With a well-designed architecture, expect USD 1,500 to 2,500 to add a facility, its pages and its doctors to the directory.
What does USD 250 per month of maintenance cover?
CDN hosting, daily backups, 99.9% uptime monitoring, security updates and 2 hours of monthly changes.
Do we need French if our patients mostly speak English and Arabic?
French serves medical tourists from North and West Africa. It usually brings 8 to 12% of traffic, but a higher share of high-value procedures.
Let's scope your project. Share your HIS vendor, number of doctors and clinics: we will price the trilingual scope, a USD 18,000 to 32,000 budget and a 12-week schedule. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
