This section provides an overview of the context and system factors in Ghana that may have played a role in the response to COVID-19 and the maintenance of essential health services. Context and systems factors are in place ahead of an infectious disease outbreak and cannot easily be changed during a response.
Exemplars in COVID-19 conceptual framework for assessing epidemic preparedness and response
Contextual factors
Although this research focuses primarily on the policy choices officials made during the early phases of the pandemic, a country’s ability to limit COVID-19 transmission and related mortality can also be attributed to contextual factors, including those below.
System factors
Beyond policy interventions, other modifiable factors under the short-term control of countries and governments that can help shape countries’ pandemic outcomes include testing strategies, disease surveillance, laboratory capacities, contact-tracing programs, case management, mobility restrictions, and surge response coordination. In any analysis of a country’s COVID-19 preparedness and response, it is also important to consider preexisting system factors, such as the strength and structure of a country’s health care system and supply chains.