Politics and implications on the COVID-19 health systems preparedness: the Malawian experience
The spread of the COVID-19 disease to Africa has raised concerns around the resultant effects on the fragile and no-resilient health systems. Malawi reported its first COVID-19 cases early April 2020 at the time of the country’s political turmoil as the courts ruled for a re-run of presidential ele...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
PAGEPress Publications
2024-02-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Public Health in Africa |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.publichealthinafrica.org/jphia/article/view/1442 |
| _version_ | 1797301064515452928 |
|---|---|
| author | Juliet Nyasulu AL Nyondo-Mipando |
| author_facet | Juliet Nyasulu AL Nyondo-Mipando |
| author_sort | Juliet Nyasulu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
The spread of the COVID-19 disease to Africa has raised concerns around the resultant effects on the fragile and no-resilient health systems. Malawi reported its first COVID-19 cases early April 2020 at the time of the country’s political turmoil as the courts ruled for a re-run of presidential elections in July 2020 due to irregularities observed in the May 2019 elections. Therefore, assessing the implications of politics on the COVID-19 health systems preparedness is critical to design health systems strengthening efforts during the pandemic.
We applied WHO health systems framework to assess the implications of politics on the COVID-19 on the Malawi health systems preparedness. There is population’s lack of trust in government hampering government efforts, which poses as a huge concern for Malawi to navigate through the pandemic including the health systems preparedness for the pandemic. This, coupled with mass demonstrations by the public disagreeing with the Lockdown and health service providers put across their COVID-19 related demands.
Political environment and the trust people have in government is a critical determinant of how a country responds to a pandemic. In a pandemic situation like COVID-19, government’s ability in coordinating the various key stakeholders while instilling trust in people remain critical in strengthening health systems to contain and mitigate the pandemic. However, the Malawi political turmoil highlighted in this paper derails the process and efforts to contain the pandemic and timely prepare the health systems. Therefore, it is important to consider the effects of political challenges in supporting the country’s health system to prepare for such pandemics.
|
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T23:16:01Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-789bbc20c45b4e938ec6fbbeaec7222a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2038-9922 2038-9930 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T23:16:01Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | PAGEPress Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Public Health in Africa |
| spelling | doaj.art-789bbc20c45b4e938ec6fbbeaec7222a2024-02-21T10:47:43ZengPAGEPress PublicationsJournal of Public Health in Africa2038-99222038-99302024-02-01141210.4081/jphia.2023.1442Politics and implications on the COVID-19 health systems preparedness: the Malawian experienceJuliet Nyasulu0AL Nyondo-Mipando 1Division of Community Pediatrics, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, The university of the WitwatersrandDepartment of Health Systems and Policy, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Malawi The spread of the COVID-19 disease to Africa has raised concerns around the resultant effects on the fragile and no-resilient health systems. Malawi reported its first COVID-19 cases early April 2020 at the time of the country’s political turmoil as the courts ruled for a re-run of presidential elections in July 2020 due to irregularities observed in the May 2019 elections. Therefore, assessing the implications of politics on the COVID-19 health systems preparedness is critical to design health systems strengthening efforts during the pandemic. We applied WHO health systems framework to assess the implications of politics on the COVID-19 on the Malawi health systems preparedness. There is population’s lack of trust in government hampering government efforts, which poses as a huge concern for Malawi to navigate through the pandemic including the health systems preparedness for the pandemic. This, coupled with mass demonstrations by the public disagreeing with the Lockdown and health service providers put across their COVID-19 related demands. Political environment and the trust people have in government is a critical determinant of how a country responds to a pandemic. In a pandemic situation like COVID-19, government’s ability in coordinating the various key stakeholders while instilling trust in people remain critical in strengthening health systems to contain and mitigate the pandemic. However, the Malawi political turmoil highlighted in this paper derails the process and efforts to contain the pandemic and timely prepare the health systems. Therefore, it is important to consider the effects of political challenges in supporting the country’s health system to prepare for such pandemics. https://www.publichealthinafrica.org/jphia/article/view/1442PoliticsCOVID-19Health systems preparednessWHO health systems frameworkMalawi |
| spellingShingle | Juliet Nyasulu AL Nyondo-Mipando Politics and implications on the COVID-19 health systems preparedness: the Malawian experience Journal of Public Health in Africa Politics COVID-19 Health systems preparedness WHO health systems framework Malawi |
| title | Politics and implications on the COVID-19 health systems preparedness: the Malawian experience |
| title_full | Politics and implications on the COVID-19 health systems preparedness: the Malawian experience |
| title_fullStr | Politics and implications on the COVID-19 health systems preparedness: the Malawian experience |
| title_full_unstemmed | Politics and implications on the COVID-19 health systems preparedness: the Malawian experience |
| title_short | Politics and implications on the COVID-19 health systems preparedness: the Malawian experience |
| title_sort | politics and implications on the covid 19 health systems preparedness the malawian experience |
| topic | Politics COVID-19 Health systems preparedness WHO health systems framework Malawi |
| url | https://www.publichealthinafrica.org/jphia/article/view/1442 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT julietnyasulu politicsandimplicationsonthecovid19healthsystemspreparednessthemalawianexperience AT alnyondomipando politicsandimplicationsonthecovid19healthsystemspreparednessthemalawianexperience |