Lessons learned from the fight against COVID-19 in the Greater Maghreb. Five lessons for better preparation.

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, Abdelkrim

OBJECTIVE To compile the lessons learned in the Greater Maghreb, during the first six months of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, in the field of preparation of health systems. METHODS An expert consultation was conducted during the first week of May 2020, using the "Delphi" technique. An email was sent to them requesting the formulation of a lesson, in the form of a "Public Health" good practice recommendation. The final text of the lessons was finalized by the group coordinator and validated by the signatories of the manuscript. RESULTS A list of five lessons for the preparation of the national health systems of the Greater Maghreb for the fight against epidemics, was deduced and approved: 1. Liberal health systems are incapable of managing epidemics; 2. The specialties of "Public Health" are often marginalized; 3. Health personnel in the Maghreb are doubly devalued; 4. Flagrant regional disparities in the field of health care are still observed; 5. A general shortage of preventive equipment and medical devices has been noted. CONCLUSION Based on the evaluation of the performance of the Maghreb fight against COVID-19, characterized by the vulnerability of the preparation of health systems, this list of lessons could constitute a roadmap for the reform of health systems. Maghrebian health, towards more performance in managing possible waves of COVID-19 or new emerging diseases with epidemic tendency.