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Covid-19 Preparedness and Response Plans from 106 countries

A review from a health systems resilience perspective

Bibliographic Data

ID15127218
AuthorsSaqif Mustafa (0000-0002-2034-9387, Universal Health Coverage and Life Course, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland), Yu Zhang (0000-0002-0059-270X, Universal Health Coverage and Life Course, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland), Zandile Zibwowa (0000-0001-6560-5754, Universal Health Coverage and Life Course, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland), Redda Seifeldin (0000-0001-6374-0880, Universal Health Coverage and Life Course, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland), Louis Ako-Egbe (0000-0002-3269-8509, World Health Organization Country Office, Monrovia, Liberia), Geraldine McDarby (Universal Health Coverage and Life Course, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland), Edward Kelley (Universal Health Coverage and Life Course, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland), Sohel Saikat (0000-0003-0952-6036, Universal Health Coverage and Life Course, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland)
Year2022
Volume37
Issue2
Pages255-268
Publication date2022-02-08
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueHealth Policy and Planning (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0268-1080 • E-ISSN: 1460-2237
PublisherOxford University Press (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1093/heapol/czab089
PMID34331439
OpenAlexW3183174110
LanguageEN
Citations received29
References cited10

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has exposed long-standing fragmentation in health systems strengthening efforts for health security and universal health coverage while these objectives are largely interdependent and complementary. In this prevailing background, we reviewed countries’ COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Plans (CPRPs) to assess the extent of integration of non-COVID-19 essential health service continuity considerations alongside emergency response activities. We searched for COVID-19 planning documents from governments and ministries of health, World Health Organization (WHO) country offices and United Nations (UN) country teams. We developed document review protocols using global guidance from the WHO and UN and the health systems resilience literature. After screening, we analysed 154 CPRPs from 106 countries. The majority of plans had a high degree of alignment with pillars of emergency response such as surveillance (99%), laboratory systems (96%) and COVID-19-specific case management (97%). Less than half considered maintaining essential health services (47%); 41% designated a mechanism for health system–wide participation in emergency planning; 34% considered subnational service delivery; 95% contained infection prevention and control (IPC) activities and 29% considered quality of care; and 24% were budgeted for and 7% contained monitoring and evaluation of essential health services. To improve, ongoing and future emergency planning should proactively include proportionate activities, resources and monitoring for essential health services to reduce excess mortality and morbidity. Specifically, this entails strengthening subnational health services with local stakeholder engagement in planning; ensuring a dedicated focus in emergency operations structures to maintain health systems resilience for non-emergency health services; considering all domains of quality in health services along with IPC; and building resilient monitoring capacity for timely and reliable tracking of health systems functionality including service utilization and health outcomes. An integrated approach to planning should be pursued as health systems recover from COVID-19 disruptions and take actions to build back better

Business · Economic growth · Emergency management · Global health · Health care · Interdependence · Political science · Preparedness · Public health · Resilience (materials science) · COVID-19 and healthcare impacts · Disaster Response and Management · Medicine · Nursing · Viral Infections and Outbreaks Research

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Unique citing works29
Citations per year7,25
Citation span2022 - 2026 (5)
Citation velocitycurrent
Highly citedNo
Citation typesNeutral: 23
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