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Senegal National Centre Policy Dialogue
March 18, 2022
Senegal is committed to the collective World Health Organisation vaccination strategy against COVID-19 that aims to vaccinate at least 40% of the population by the end of 2021. At the start of 2022, the vaccination target was far from being reached in Africa. Only 21 countries (including Senegal) had administered two doses to less than 10% of their population.
The Senegal National Centre of AHOP organised a Policy Dialogue to discuss perspectives on the defined strategies and initiatives involving the Senegal Ministry of Health, the community actors and other partners to improve COVID-19 vaccine confidence and attaining the defined demand creation targets.
Participants to the Policy Dialogue included Dr. Mamadou Ndiaye, Director of Prevention (DP), Ministry of Health and Social Action and Dr. Youssoupha Ndiaye, Director of Planning, Research and Statistics (DPRS), Ministry of Health and Social Action; Dr Amadou Alpha Sall, Director General of Pasteur Institute of Dakar (IPD); Immunization; Dr. Ousseynou Badiane – Chief of Immunization Division – DP; Dr. Alexis SATOULOU – WHO Country Office Advisor and Economist; Dr. Dr Ndeye Maguette Ndiaye, Dakar Regional Chief Medical Officer; Prof. Cheikh Niang – SAHARA Research Unit of the Institute of Environmental Sciences of the Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar; Pr Heidi J Larson – Professor of Anthropology, Risk and Decision Science, Director, The Vaccine Confidence Project – London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.
The Policy Dialogue discussed Senegal’s engagement in meeting the defined targets, discussing and exchanging with national and international experts/partners on surveys and studies on the acceptability of COVID-19 vaccination and perceptions about the vaccine influencing COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy or rejection.
The Policy Dialogue put forth initial aspects needed in addressing vaccine demand and outlining potential strategies for policy makers to incorporate in the various next steps in key decision-making.