In this country of 16 million known for its peaceful democracy and sense of community, Senegal's response to the coronavirus is notable not only for its humanity but for its thoroughness. For example, each newly diagnosed individual – no matter how mild or severe the case – is provided a hospital or health center bed where he or she stays isolated and observed– a key element to Senegal's strategy to contain the virus.

"Senegal is doing quite well, and we were impressed at the beginning at the full engagement and commitment by the head of state," says Michel Yao, program manager for emergency response for the World Health Organization Africa. 

Officials from both Senegal's ministry of health and WHO stresses that the wheels of the response team were set in motion five years ago in response to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. Yao explains: "What we advised countries to have in place following Ebola in West Africa was to have an operations center, to have in one place the required information for effective decision making. It's quite an important tool to control the crisis, and this was a good plan from Senegal to have this structure."

 

Read more: https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/05/17/856016429/senegal-pledges-a-bed-for-every-coronavirus-patient-and-their-contacts-too