Assessing the impact of COVID-19 on the private health sector

Background:

The COVID-19 pandemic has generated a health, economic, and social crisis, and placed a burden on the Senegalese health system, including the private health sector. Several challenges have emerged, including strains on the workforce, disruptions in business operations, and decreased patient volume and cash flow. With support from USAID and SHOPS Plus, the Private Health Sector Alliance (ASPS) in Senegal established national and regional task forces to address the consequences of the pandemic on the private health sector. SHOPS Plus supported the national task force in assessing the effects of COVID-19 on private health facilities and in better understanding the capacity of facilities to respond to the pandemic.

Objectives:

• Identify the resources available in private health facilities and assess capacity to participate in the national COVID-19 response.
• Understand the effects of COVID-19 on private health facilities and identify potential mitigation measures.

Methods:

With close partnership with the Directorate of Private Health Establishments at the Ministry of Health and Social Action, SHOPS Plus developed an online survey tool that was launched on July 25 and sent to more than 2,350 private health facilities nationwide. The facilities included hospitals, pharmacies, clinics and medical practices, paramedical practices, company medical services, laboratories, dentists, radiology and imaging centers, emergency services, and private health training facilities. The survey questions assessed changes in service delivery, human resources, equipment and materials, the supply chain, and finances.

Status: Completed
Date of last update: October 2020

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