La Bajenu Gox actrice de mobilisation sociale et de transformation des normes sociales d’inégalités de genre pour une utilisation des services de santé maternelle, infantile et des adolescent-es au Sénégal

La mortalité maternelle et néonatale reste la plus grande disparité en matière de santé entre les pays à faible revenu et ceux à revenu élevé. Pour parvenir à améliorer la santé maternelle et infantile, il est important de prendre en compte les dimensions culturelles et de genre. Nous avons étudié le rôle des Bajenu Gox (BGs) dans la réduction de la mortalité maternelle et infantile par la mobilisation sociale et la transformation sociale au Sénégal. Des données quantitatives et qualitatives sur le genre et la santé ont été collectées à Dakar, Louga, Fatick et Kaolack, aux niveaux individuel, familial, communautaire et institutionnel selon une approche participative et inclusive. Les données ont été collectées auprès des autorités et des professionnels de santé (infirmiers en chef, sages-femmes), des familles et de la communauté (femmes enceintes, femmes allaitantes, enfants et adolescents, beaux-pères et belles-mères, maris, imams, prêtres,). Les résultats ont montré que les BG interviennent à trois niveaux : les bénéficiaires, les gardiens des us et coutumes ou des décisions, et les gardiens des obligations morales ou des décisions. Les BG ont amélioré les indicateurs de santé. De nombreux femmes, enfants et jeunes filles sont maintenant référés aux structures appropriées pour les soins prénataux et postnataux, le planning familial, la vaccination. En conclusion, les BG ont développé des méthodes efficaces de mobilisation sociale pour promouvoir la SMNI. Les BG sont des agents potentiels de transformation des normes sociales et de genre.   Maternal and new-born mortality remains the greatest existing disparity in health between low-income and high-income countries. To achieve improvement in maternal and child health, it is important to consider cultural and gender dimensions. We studied the role of Bajenu Gox women (BGs) in reducing maternal and child mortality through social mobilization and social transformation in Senegal. Quantitative and qualitative data on gender and health were collected in Dakar, Louga, Fatick and Kaolack, at the individual, family, community and institutional levels using semi-structured interviews, focus groups and community dialogues based on a participatory and inclusive approach. Data were collected from authorities and professionals working in the health sector (head nurses, midwives, Health Committee (CS), and family and community members who are directly concerned or have authority on the patient (pregnant women, breastfeeding women, children and adolescents, mothers and father’s in-law, husbands, imams, priests). Results of our research showed that BGs intervene at three levels - beneficiaries, custodians of habits and customs or decisions, and custodians of moral obligations or decisions. The BGs contribute in the improvement of the main health outcomes, in particular: antenatal care, postnatal care for mothers and their children. Plus, many women and girls are now being referred to the appropriate structures for ante-and post-natal visits, family planning, etc. In conclusion, BGs have developed efficient methods of social mobilization to promote MCH, and BGs’are potential social and gender norms’ transforming agent

Barriers of West African women scientists in their research and academic careers: A qualitative research

Objective This study aims to identify barriers to the professional advancement of women researchers in West Africa. Methods This was a descriptive, observational, cross-sectional qualitative study conducted between June and September 2020 in five West African countries (Ghana, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali). Interviews were conducted with 21 female and 9 male health researchers by video call. After transcription, the data was thematically analysed using an inductive process. Results Four themes associated with barriers to women’s careers development were identified. First. was family- and environmental-related barriers. Gender norms that assign domestic tasks and responsibilities to women reduced the time they were able to dedicate to research. Second was gender insensitive organisational culture and institutional policies that deepened gender disparities and made it more difficult for women to attain leadership positions. Third was the need for women in research to undergo emancipation programs to strengthen their resilience and ability to make critical decisions as strategic approaches to address the challenges faced by women in the academia were a lot more focused on addressing their relationship with their spouse. Forth, was the individual intermediate perception of professional and personal success which for many women, they perceive themselves as competent as their male counterparts and should not be subject to the gender discrimination they experience. Conclusion The web created between work-life and home-life for West African women researchers mainly as a result of the gender inequalities in the social structure will require more medium- and long-term strategic planning by institutional authorities to reduce gender disparities in research and academia. This work has highlighted the influence of family and social life on the professional lives of West African women researchers. The study could help contribute to the development of gender equality interventions for the career development of women researchers in West Africa

How to support the design of universal health coverage policies through better information sharing and support to evidence-informed decision-making? Co-construction of a UHC observatory in Senegal

Introduction: Despite many global and national sources of health data coexist and produce huge amounts of information, important factors limit the capacity of decision-makers to utilise evidence for policymaking in the health sector. Usually information is not centralised and “raw data” are difficult to interpret and use on their own. National Health Observatories have been proposed as a tool enabling to generate evidence ready to use for policymaking. Such an Observatory is being set up in Senegal to support the universal health coverage (UHC) policy.Aim: This study presents the co-construction process utilised in Senegal to decide on the design characteristics of the future UHC Observatory.Methods: Following a literature review which enabled to analyse experiences of existing platforms of knowledge transfer, the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs (MoHSA) identified key stakeholders – data producers and potential users – and involved them in a co-construction process of the future UHC Observatory. We describe this process and basic design elements.Results: Since the Observatory aims to support the intersectoral UHC policy, a large array of stakeholders have to be involved in its design. Key stakeholders – policymakers, the agency in charge of coordinating the UHC policy implementation, mutual health insurance companies, data producers such as research centres, knowledge managers, healthcare providers and donors – were identified and contacted by MoHSA, first to collect information on their expectations regarding the design of the UHC Observatory, and then to be regularly involved in its co-construction. The following elements of the design were gradually decided upon in a consensual way: objectives and missions, steering committee and other regulatory bodies, technical and managerial bodies, stakeholders’ contributions, resource pooling arrangements, ways of fostering knowledge transfer for policymaking.Conclusion: Under MoHSA leadership, the UHC Observatory is currently being co-constructed which guarantees a strong consensus among stakeholders and hence their commitment and involvement. The UHC Observatory will be a dynamic platform, not just aimed at collecting health data available in Senegal, but also at combining them to produce evidence and share it with policymakers and the broader public so as to gradually improve the UHC policy and its implementation.info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublishe

Évaluation de la pérennité et du passage à l’échelle du projet Bajenu Gox

Affaires mondiales Canada (AMC)Instituts de recherche en santé du Canada (IRSC)Fonds de recherche du Québec-Santé (FRQS

Rapport d'etude du pouvoir d'agir des Bajenu Gox

Affaires mondiales Canada (AMC)Instituts de recherche en santé du Canada (IRSC)Fonds de la recherche en santé du Québec (FRQS

Analyse du rôle social & des motivations intrinsèques de la Bajenu Gox

Affaires mondiales Canada (AMC)Instituts de recherche en santé du Canada (IRSC)Fonds de la recherche en santé du Québec (FRQS

Analyse des effets de l’intervention du projet Bajenu Gox sur l’utilisation des services de santé maternelle néonatale et infantile dans les postes de santé : Abattoirs, Ndagane, Diaoulé, Ndandé et Parcelles Assainies Unité 4

Affaires mondiales Canada (AMC)Instituts de recherche en santé du Canada (IRSC)Fonds de recherche du Québec-Santé (FRQS