Senegal

Prior to the Coalition’s launch in 2017, the No Empty Shelves project, led by PATH and supported by Novo Nordisk, was conducted in Kenya and Senegal.  The aim of this project was to assess barriers to NCD medicines and products. Throughout this extensive assessment, 22 medicines and health products were tracked and 112 interviews were conducted across 67 facilities.  Through this work, a number of critical health system, supply chain, finance, and advocacy barriers, which impact access and affordability to NCD medicines and products, were identified.  This work also served as the foundation for the launch of the Coalition for Access to NCD Medicines and Products.  Dr Babacar Gueye, MOH NCD lead, is the MOH representative for Senegal on the Coalition.

The MOH’s NCD division continues to implement the country’s strategic and operational plan to fight NCDs. Main activities have included creating the hypertension risk stratification algorithm of care, integrating approximately 45 NCD-related indicators into District Health Information System 2 (DHIS2), conducting a situational analysis of the availability and accessibility of hypertension drugs, building management tools for hypertensive patients, and working with the education minister to revise national curricula to include NCD awareness at the primary school level. The hypertension algorithm of care, which utilizes international guidelines, has been used to harmonize practices for screening, diagnosis, treatment, and control of hypertension at the district level, in partnership with cardiologists. Similarly, management tools have been developed to support health care providers to follow patients throughout the different phases of care needed.  

In Senegal, a public-private coalition called ACT NOW was launched to serve as a partner with the country’s health authorities to mobilize resources, improve training, and raise awareness in the fight against chronic diseases. In 2019, following the launch of ACT NOW, and with the technical support of the Global NCD Alliance, a national NCD task force was created to bring together key government stakeholders, medical and public health professionals, representatives from universities, and associations of patients from civil society. Planning is ongoing to incorporate the Senegal NCD Alliance into the broader Africa NCD Alliance chapter.The aim of this project was to assess barriers to NCD medicines and products. Throughout this extensive assessment, 22 medicines and health products were tracked and stakeholder interviews were conducted across many facilities.  Through this work, a number of