Mental Health Management during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Senegal: Lessons Learned

Abstract

I ntroduction: This work stems from practical experience during the unexpected context of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the person responsible for mental health policy in Senegal, it was necessary to demonstrate creativity and adaptability to respond to the health challenges posed by the pandemic. A few years later, it seemed important to conduct a reflexive analysis in order to better understand the scope of the actions undertaken and propose a conceptual framework based on the lessons learned. Methods: This scientific contribution is a reflexive analysis—an intentional intellectual process in which individuals explore or examine a specific situation, problem, or issue based on past experiences in order to develop new insights that can inform future actions. It focuses on mental health interventions led by Senegal’s Ministry of Health and Social Action (MSAS) during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: A structural and functional reorganization enabled a rapid response to new types of needs that emerged with COVID-19, including: 1) the establishment of a multidisciplinary remote psychosocial care unit for Senegalese citizens abroad and for confirmed/contact cases within the country; 2) psychological support for healthcare workers in various care settings; 3) psychiatric teleconsultations in mental health services; 4) the decentralization of psychosocial care to regional and departmental levels; 5) strengthening of community-level responses through training and the provision of equipment. However, the implementation of these interventions lacked sustainability due to reduced stakeholder motivation, discontinuity in funding, and the absence of a formalized psychosocial care framework. Conclusion: Senegal’s experience during the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrates that a mental health response can be rapid, innovative, and adapted across multiple levels of intervention. However, the sustainability of these actions depends on the quality of intersectoral coordination, the effective integration of community actors, and the consolidation of innovations introduced, particularly in areas such as teleconsultation and the decentralization of services. Mental health must now be recognized as a strategic pillar of public health systems, on par with epidemiological response and social support. As a lever for both individual and collective resilience, it serves as a key component for post-crisis recovery and for strengthening the adaptive capacities of communities in the face of current and future health shocks.