This study was an explanatory, sequential, mixed-methods design conducted in Senegal. We collected quantitative data from December 24, 2020, to January 16, 2021, and qualitative data from February 19 to March 30, 2021. We conducted a telephone survey among a marginal quota sample of 607 people over 18 years old. We performed descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate analyses with R software for the quantitative phase; and performed manual content analyses for the qualitative phase. We surveyed 607 people for the quantitative phase and interviewed 30 people for the qualitative phase. Individuals who hesitated or refused to be vaccinated represented 12.9% and 32.8%, respectively. Vaccine hesitancy was related to gender, living in large cities, having a poor attitude toward the vaccine, thinking that the vaccine would not help protect them from the virus, being influenced by people important to them, and lacking information from health professionals. Vaccine refusal was related to living in large cities, having a poor attitude toward the vaccine, thinking that the vaccine would not help protect them from the virus, thinking that the vaccine could endanger their health, trusting opinions of people who were important to them, and lacking information from health professionals. The results of the study show that the factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and refusal are diverse and complex. Addressing these factors will help to ensure better vaccination coverage. Governments and health authorities should intensify their efforts to promote vaccine confidence and reduce misinformation.

Three months after the first appearance of the new coronavirus (COVID-19), Senegal recorded its first case on March 2, 2020. Faced with this pandemic, the State reacted quickly with public measures : instituting a curfew, placing a ban on travel between regions, and closing shops and places of worship. This research aims to study the acceptability of these non-pharmaceutical measures by the Senegalese population. This study was a cross-sectional and analytical survey conducted in June and July 2020 among Senegalese over 18 years old. Sampling by the representative quota method was distributed proportionally to age, gender and region. We constructed the questionnaire using the theoretical framework of acceptability of health interventions. Through a telephone call center synchronised to an internet server, we collected data on personal characteristics, knowledge of the disease, trust in information sources, trust in government, concern about the pandemic, and the seven dimensions of acceptability. We performed descriptive analysis and structural equation with R software version 4.0.2. This study included a total of 813 individuals. The average age was 34.7 years ( ± 14.2 years). They were predominantly male (54.6 %), with no education (42.6 %). The increased level of knowledge of the disease was associated with confidence in national media information sources provided by the administrative and health authorities (β=0.11, p<0.01). The increase in the level of trust in the government in response to COVID-19 was positively related to the acceptability of curfew (β=0.16, p<0.001), travel ban between regions (β=0.11, p<0.001), and closure of places of worship (β=0.1, p<0.01) and markets (β=0.09, p<0.01). In Senegal, the acceptability of the measures depended on knowledge of the disease, perception of the risk of the disease, and trust in the government. There is a need to strengthen awareness and risk communication of COVID-19.

While the first case of COVID-19 was declared on March 2 2020 in Senegal, the government banned the attendance of places of worship on 14 March, as a first measure. On March 23, it introduced a curfew, a ban on movement between regions, and the closure of markets. The objective of this study is to measure and understand the acceptability of these four governmental measures as well as the level of public trust in the state to fight the pandemic. We carried out a mixed-method research. The acceptability variables were defined using the theoretical framework of acceptability (TFA). At the quantitative level, we carried out a telephone survey (June/July 2020) at the national level (n = 813) with a sampling strategy by marginal quotas. We conducted a qualitative survey (August/September 2020) with a nested sample (n = 30). The results show a relatively high acceptability of the measures but a heterogeneity of responses. People considered curfews to be much more important (85.7% [83.2%; 88.0%]) than the closure of places of worship (55.4%; [51.9%; 58.7%]), which is least in line with the values and positive affective attitude. Several positive unintended effects of the curfew were stated (security and social/family cohesion). People over the age of 60 have more confidence in the government to fight the pandemic than people under the age of 25, although not significant (7.72 ± 3.12 vs. 7.07 ± 3.11, p = 0.1); and they are more in favour of the closure of places of worship. The more regions are affected by the pandemic, the less confidence respondents report in the government and the less they perceive the measures as effective. The results confirm the importance of government communication and trust in the state to strengthen the acceptability of pandemic measures. Important differences in acceptability show the need to adapt measures and their explanations, instead of unqualified universal action.

Rabies is still a public health problem in Senegal. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices on rabies among human and animal health professionals. It was a cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical study conducted in the Kaffrine district. Data were collected from 28 June to 01 July 2021. An exhaustive recruitment was done, and the final sample size was 95 health professionals. R software was used for descriptive, bivariate and multivariate analyses. Health professionals with sufficient knowledge, positive attitudes and good practices in relation to rabies represented 35.8%, 26.3% and 45.3% of the study respectively. The results of the multivariate analysis showed that professionals who worked in urban areas (AOR = 11.10; 95% CI = [3.50–41.69]) and who worked in animal health (AOR = 7.45; 95% CI = [1.16–70.40]) were more likely to have sufficient knowledge about rabies. Professionals with tertiary education (AOR = 12.40; CI95% = [1.80–268.00]) and with sufficient knowledge (AOR = 3.41; CI95% = [1.01–12.70]) were more likely to have a positive attitude about rabies. Professionals with a positive attitude about rabies (AOR = 3.23; 95% CI = [1.08–10.70]) were more likely to have a good practice when presented with an animal bite case. These results suggest that improving health professionals’ knowledge about rabies is essential in order to influence their attitudes and practices against rabies.

This research aims to understand the level and determinants of people’s willingness to participate in a vaccine trial for COVID-19 in Senegal. We conducted a telephone survey among a marginal quota sample of 607 people over 18 years of age. Only 44.3% of the participants wanted to participate in a vaccine trial for COVID-19, with females intending to participate more than males (AOR = 1.82, 95% CI [1.22–2.72]). Participants who intended to be vaccinated against COVID-19 (AOR = 6.48, 95% CI [4.12–10.4]) and who thought that being infected with the coronavirus would have a significant impact on their health (AOR = 2.34, 95% CI [1.57, 3.51]) were more likely to agree to take part in the COVID-19 vaccine trial. Confidence in the vaccine, health personnel, and the government in the fight against the pandemic are key factors in participants’ willingness to participate in a vaccine trial in Senegal.

Introduction: Data on drug use in paediatrics are scarce in Senegal. The objective of this study was to assess the prescribing indicators in a paediatric population seen in an outpatient consultation at a Health Centre in Dakar, Senegal. Methods: A retrospective and analytical study was conducted. The study population consisted of prescriptions for children aged 0 to 14 years who were seen in ambulatory consultation between 1 June and 30 November 2019. The sample size was 600 prescriptions. The systematic survey was then conducted. Five prescription indicators recommended by the World Health Organization were calculated. The R software was used for descriptive analysis, bivariate analysis and binomial logistic regression. Results: The average number of drugs per prescription was 2.56. The proportion of drugs prescribed under the International Nonproprietary Name (INN) was 18.9%, while the proportion of drugs on the National Essential Medicines List (NEML) was 41.3%. The proportions of prescriptions with at least one antibiotic and one injectable product were 41.5% and 1.3%, respectively. Conclusions: This study showed that prescribing habits were inadequate. Thus, it would be necessary to move towards continuing training of prescribers in the wise use of medicines.