From December 17 to 19, 2025, Toubab Dialaw hosted a meeting between Senegal, Mauritania, Guinea, Mali, and The Gambia. The objective: to learn from Senegal's response in order to establish a regional health shield against Rift Valley Fever (RVF).

Senegal, a benchmark for the sub-region

The choice to base the decision on the Senegalese model is not accidental. Although the country was heavily affected, with 554 cases and 31 deaths since September 29, it managed to reverse the trend. Thanks to the multisectoral "One Health" approach, no deaths have been reported for six weeks.

Dr. Pape Samba Dièye, Director of the Health Emergency Operations Center (COUS) of Senegal, emphasized the importance of this skills transfer. "It was about sharing our experiences to prepare together for a future outbreak and to face any common threat."

Faced with the threat, solidarity has become an operational necessity. Participating countries have decided to unify their surveillance protocols and deploy early warning systems. In Mauritania, where 53 cases and 8 deaths have been reported near the border, this coordination is considered vital.

“Learning from the Senegalese experience”

For countries like Guinea, Mali, and The Gambia, the priority is to anticipate and prevent the importation of cases. Dr. Sory Condé, Director of Guinea's National Health Security Agency, reaffirmed this commitment to learning.

"This meeting allows us to learn a great deal from the Senegalese experience and to improve our measures along the border. It is about combining our efforts so that the burden of this epidemic does not fall on any of us."

This joint roadmap marks a historic step: West Africa is no longer content to react, it is organizing itself around a local success model to guarantee the security of all its citizens.