by Ben Leo and Catherine Winn
"Despite warnings about the inadequacy of Senegal’s health care system, the country’s COVID-19 case numbers remain among the lowest per capita in the world, largely due to its fact-based and swift response. Following the country’s first COVID-19 case, Senegal enacted several public health policies to prevent community transmission and protect its fragile health system. Observers credit transparent and consistent public messaging for widespread support of essential measures, including mask mandates, that have kept the virus in check throughout many of the country’s urban areas.
In fact, this past month, Foreign Policy magazine ranked Senegal’s pandemic response second out of the 36 governments it examined in its Global COVID-19 Response Index, and the Senegalese government scored highest for communication. Indeed, in a country with limited resources for widespread testing and treatment, communicating the country’s status and the importance of adherence to public health measures is a valuable tool for prevention. Even Dr. Abdoulaye Bousso, director of Senegal’s Health Emergency Operation Center, has emphasized the importance of transparency as means of countering misinformation and mobilizing support for public health measures, such as face masks and handwashing."
To read the full article, visit Brookings's webpage.