Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented global situation, which has turned all systems (economic, political, social, and health) upside down. It has paved the way for psychological and psychosocial morbidity among the public and healthcare professionals both directly and indirectly involved in the response.
Objective: The aim of this study was to identify the difficulties associated with the psychosocial experience of COVID-19 among a population of healthcare professionals.
Method: A qualitative, cross-sectional descriptive study of a population of healthcare professionals who had used a listening and support line was conducted in Dakar from May 2020 to July 2020.
Results: A total of 236 calls were received by the hotline, of which 20 were from healthcare professionals, representing a rate of 8.5%. 08 calls were received from female healthcare professionals, representing a rate of 40% of the total study population. According to healthcare professionals, the most common themes were emotional difficulties, family difficulties, work overload, and lack of support from superiors.
Discussion: At the end of our work, we noted that the mental health of health professionals deserves special attention for early detection of COVID-19 psychopathological disorders. Thus, it is important to systematically institute support structures for healthcare professionals when responding to health emergencies.