Senegal

Successes and lessons learnt

• Holding upstream of preparatory meetings for defining roles and responsibilities for different players for the implementation of SMC
• Implementing partners can be a value added to the implementation but it is fundamental that the NMCP remains the lead (coordination and management)
• The flexibility of lenders to provide additional resources for meetings (emergency between Neema , RSS +, PMI and NMCP for support with the purchase of protective equipment, not provided for in the planning
• Sharing information early on has helped to anticipate the difficulties and arrange for better performance
• Use of platforms for coordination (alert system) in time real and between headquarters and the regional offices allowed for faster implementation.
• The right choice of community health workers and experience and capacity to intervene in their domain facilitates the work
• Training for managing undesirable effects
• Awareness before campaign facilitates community support
•  The participation of local stakeholders (BG and Relais) promotes community involvement
• Maintaining safety stock avoids stock-outs and delays.
• Timely Delivery is required.
• Notification of effects undesirable on the cards, and in SMC model, facilitates transmission to Pharmacovigilance center for accountability
• Improved notification by DOT approach
• Digital app for managing undesirable effects
• The commitment of administrative authorities, nuns and elected officials in some districts facilitated implementation.

Challenges

• Starting communication on SMC 1 month before implementation
  Developing a map of case refusals in districts and regions concerned
• Revise the budget envelope to adapt it to the covid-19 context
• Make physical inventories of medication, after each cycle, to allow for a good estimate of needs at next cycle