Identifying Positive Outliers

As health systems around the world struggled to meet the challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic, they were simultaneously crippled by a lack of resources to maintain essential health services, including for people with chronic diseases and for routine immunizations. This research focused on how four countries in sub-Saharan Africa— the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, Senegal, and Uganda— addressed the challenge of maintaining essential health services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Pandemic Center worked with Gates Ventures’ Exemplars in Global Health to identify the specific, effective practices used and to share those practices with other governments.

Primary research was conducted by partner institutions in Costa Rica, Thailand, Dominican Republic, Ghana, Uganda and Sri Lanka, with the ultimate goal of disseminating their findings publicly to maximize the impact of those highlighted best practices.

Publications:

BMJ Global Health, March 2024 - Volume 8 - Suppl 6

Exemplars in Global Health

EDITORIAL

• The need to document lessons learnt and exemplary practices of maintaining essential health services during the COVID-19 pandemic (22 February, 2024) 

  Lucia Mullen, Natasha Kaushal, Chris Troeger, Amanda Kobokovich, Marc Trotochaud, Moytrayee Guha, Sara Bennett, Jennifer B Nuzzo

ORIGINAL RESEARCH

• Maintaining essential health services during COVID-19 in Ghana: a qualitative study (15 March, 2024) 

  Isaac Yeboah, Duah Dwomoh, Rawlance Ndejjo, Steven Ndugwa Kabwama, Fidelia Ohemeng, Sylvia Akpene Takyi, Ibrahim Issah, Serwaa Akoto Bawuah, Rhoda Kitti Wanyenze, Julius Fobil

• Sri Lanka’s COVID-19 response and maintaining health services: implications for future pandemics (18 January, 2024) 

  Ravindra Prasan Rannan-Eliya, Azrah Ghaffoor, Sarasi Amarasinghe, Manage Dhanusha Nirmani, Nilmini Wijemunige, Sanjay Perera, Sarath Samarage, KCS Dalpatadu, Niroshani Wisidagama, Sachini Fonseka, Nalin Kumara, Ahthiga Selvaratnam, Thimani Dananjana

PRACTICE

• Maintaining non-communicable disease (NCD) services during the COVID-19 pandemic: lessons from Thailand (22 October, 2024)

  Melanie Coates, Paul Li Jen Cheh, Thanathip Suenghataiphorn, Wasin Laohavinij, Aungsumalee Pholpark, Natchaya Ritthisirikul, Sirithorn Khositchaiwat, Piya Hanvoravongchai

• Maintaining essential health services during a pandemic: lessons from Costa Rica’s COVID-19 response (24 April, 2024) 

  Claudio A Mora-García, Andy A Pearson, Andrea M Prado

• Harnessing digital technology for COVID-19 response in Uganda: lessons and implications for future public health emergencies (4 October, 2023) 

  Rawlance Ndejjo, Steven Ndugwa Kabwama, Alice Namale, Andrew K Tusubira, Irene Wanyana, Susan Kizito, Suzanne N Kiwanuka, Rhoda K Wanyenze

COMMENTARY

• Multisectoral resilience for the next global health emergency (31 October, 2023) 

  Amanda McClelland, Sulzhan Bali, Scott F Dowell, Margaret Kruk, Yee Sin Leo, Gina Samaan, William Wang, Zachary Hennenfent, Siobhan Lazenby, Anne Liu, Rhoda Kitti Wanyenze, Jennifer B Nuzzo

RELATED EXEMPLARS PUBLICATIONS

• PLOS Global Public Health: Drivers of success in global health outcomes: A content analysis of Exemplar studies (9 May, 2024) 

  Nadia Akseer, David E. Phillips, on behalf of the Exemplars in Global Health Partner Network