Anemia Action Planning with the Senegalese Ministry of Health and Social Action

What was the problem to be solved?

Anemia among women of reproductive age is a significant and enduring health problem, with global prevalence stagnant at approximately 27% over the past decade.¹ Because little progress has been made in reducing anemia prevalence, it is important to highlight lessons from countries that have achieved some progress. Exemplars in Global Health thus conducted a research study with the Hospital for Sick Children and Laboratoire de Recherche en Nutrition et Alimentation Humaine to understand how Senegal reduced the prevalence of anemia among women of reproductive age from 58% in 2005 to 53% in 2017.^2,3

Despite Senegal’s exemplary reduction of anemia among West African countries, the Senegalese Ministry of Health and Social Action (MSAS) and Conseil National de Developpement de la Nutrition (CNDN) still recognize anemia as an important public health problem and are committed to further reducing anemia across the country. In 2023, MSAS was interested in gathering lessons learned from Exemplars research in Senegal as well as other anemia research within the country and the broader African continent. Exemplars in Global Health and MSAS closely collaborated to ensure Exemplars research findings were disseminated to all relevant organizations and placed within the context of other anemia research from local and global actors.

MSAS was not only committed to understanding the latest research, but was also committed to implementing the findings within Senegal. The Senegalese government was in the process of updating key strategic planning documents, such as the Integrated Strategic Plan for Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, Adolescent Health, and Nutrition (PSI SRMNIA_N) and Strategic Multisectoral Nutrition Plan (PSMN) 2024-2028, and intended to include the latest anemia findings. The government requested the support of Exemplars and other global health organizations, such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and Anaemia Action Alliance, ⁴ to create a prioritized list of action items to be incorporated into strategic planning documents.

What support did Exemplars in Global Health provide?

Exemplars in Global Health collaborated with MSAS to organize a two-day workshop on anemia in Senegal, which was held in Dakar in October 2023. Exemplars also worked closely with the Anaemia Action Alliance to ensure that the workshop integrated the latest research findings and with Global Health Strategies to ensure smooth execution. The workshop aimed to address challenges in reducing anemia and foster collaborative solutions by sharing the latest evidence and conducting action planning. Approximately 80 attendees from various sectors participated, including several government ministries, funders, implementers, and norm-setting bodies.

The first day of the workshop was dedicated to sharing the latest evidence on anemia at the global, regional, and national levels. At the global level, the Anaemia Action Alliance’s co-chair, WHO, presented its recent publication, Accelerating Anaemia Reduction: A Comprehensive Framework for Action⁵. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shared the latest evidence on the state of anemia at the global and regional levels. This was complemented by presentations from the African Union and Nutrition International on addressing malnutrition in Africa and developing the African Union Strategic Framework for the Prevention and Management of Anaemia in Africa. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) also shared its latest anemia research in Senegal and in West and Central Africa. At the country level, research findings were shared from the Exemplars in Global Health anemia study in Senegal led by the Hospital for Sick Children and Laboratoire de Recherche en Nutrition et Alimentation Humaine. Additionally, CNDN, the Senegalese multisectoral government entity focused on nutrition, shared the latest anemia research findings in Senegal.

The second day of the workshop was focused on action planning to reduce anemia in Senegal. Action planning was structured using the five action areas for accelerating anemia reduction from WHO’s Accelerating Anaemia Reduction: A Comprehensive Framework for Action². The five action areas are as follows:

• Analyze data on causes and risk factors
• Prioritize key preventive and therapeutic interventions
• Optimize service delivery across platforms and sectors
• Strengthen leadership, communication and coordination, and governance at all levels
• Expand research, learning, and innovation

Attendees were asked to review the evidence that was shared on the first day of the workshop and create a prioritized list of next steps within each action area based on the latest research findings and knowledge gaps. Attendees were encouraged to exchange ideas and experiences to ensure all perspectives would be captured in the prioritized list of next steps. Members of the Anaemia Action Alliance, including WHO, UNICEF, and Nutrition International, provided expertise and technical support throughout the action planning.

Following the workshop, outputs from the action planning were summarized in a national anemia action plan, co-created by Exemplars in Global Health, MSAS, CNDN, and the Anaemia Action Alliance. This plan highlights several next steps that should be prioritized to reduce anemia in Senegal, including review of existing data, implementation of the WHO comprehensive framework for action on anemia, and strengthening of the anemia ad hoc committee. Additionally, the Dakar Resolution was created by Exemplars in Global Health, MSAS, and WHO, which presents a broad declaration of support to reduce anemia in Senegal and affirms commitment to this issue.