Effectiveness of Ghana’s COVID-19 policy responses and lessons learnt for the future: A multi-methods evaluation

Abstract

Ghana implemented various mitigating policies in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. This study examined the effectiveness of these policies to contribute to the ongoing discussions on proactive and pre-emptive interventions for similar future outbreaks. A mix of qualitative and quantitative methods were used for the analysis. Data were drawn from multiple sources, including peer-reviewed and grey literature, and academic experts from Ghanaian universities. The data from the literature informed a questionnaire that was sent to independent academic experts to explore their opinions on whether the policies met their intended objectives. The experts’ opinions were collected on a 5-point Likert scale and from an open-ended question using an online data collection platform, Qualtrics. The data were evaluated using narrative synthesis, descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. We identified and evaluated eight key COVID-19 policy responses in Ghana: (1) partial lockdown of epicentres; (2) COVID-19 public awareness campaigns; (3) ban on public gatherings; (4) COVID-19 vaccination; (5) border closures; (6) entry border COVID-19 screening; (7) incentives for healthcare workers (HCWs); and (8) the Ghana Alleviation and Revitalisation of Enterprises Support (GCARES). Two policies - the COVID-19 awareness campaigns and border closure - effectively improved public awareness of COVID-19 and helped to reduce COVID-19 case importation (median score ≥4). Ghana’s COVID-19 public awareness campaigns and border closure policies could serve as a valuable model for informing proactive interventions to address future infectious disease outbreaks.