Lessons learned from the fight against COVID-19 in the Great Maghreb. Five lessons for a better response.

Ben Abdelaziz, Ahmed; Berkane, Salah; Ben Salem, Kamel; Dahdi, Sid Ahmed; Mlouki, Imen; Benzarti, Sofien; Nouira, Sarra; Azzaza, Mohamed; Azouaou, Monia; Bouamra, Abderrazek; Achouri, Mohamed Yacine; Soulimane, A

OBJECTIVE Identify the lessons learned in the Greater Maghreb, during the first semester of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, in the field of response. METHODS During the first week of May 2020, a consultation of experts was conducted, using the "Delphi" technique, through an email asking each of them, the drafting of a good practice recommendation for "Public health". The Group coordinator finalized the text of the lessons, later validated by the signatories of the manuscript. RESULTS Five lessons of good «response» against epidemics have been deduced and approved by Maghreb experts, linked to the following aspects: 1. Total reservation of hospital beds for patients; 2. Clinical management of the response; 3. Discreet conflict of interest; 4. Community participation in the response; 5. Contextualization of the global fight strategy. CONCLUSION Based on the finding of low relevance of the Maghreb response against COVID-19, this list of lessons would help support the performance of Maghreb health systems in the management of epidemics.