COVID-19 pandemic, global advisories and the imperatives of strengthening the public healthcare system: Nigeria in context
International Journal of Health Governance
ISSN: 2059-4631
Article publication date: 26 August 2022
Issue publication date: 21 October 2022
Abstract
Purpose
Given the efficacy of a robust public healthcare system in handling public health emergencies, the rapid rate of COVID-19 pandemic infection in early-hit (advanced) countries with competent healthcare system is intriguing. The popular public health argument supports the strengthening of the healthcare system as a significant response strategy to minimize infection. Hence, this paper examines the catalysts that exacerbated the pandemic’s rapid spread in these countries despite the sound state of their healthcare system. Also, it assesses the condition of Nigerian public healthcare system in the lights of the novel COVID-19 pandemic and suggests the need for improvement and effective functioning.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper uses a documentary approach to establish the authors’ opinion on the subject matter under investigation.
Findings
Factors such as climate, temperature, and humidity levels played a key role in infection in the winter of 2020. These factors facilitated for the pandemic’s rapid spread in advanced countries. In peripheral countries like Nigeria, the public healthcare system is burdened by a lack of funding, an insufficiency in welfare and training for healthcare staff and facilities and other operational challenges. Hence, the effective management of COVID-19 outbreak in Nigeria relative to advanced countries was hindered by the inadequacies mentioned above.
Originality/value
This paper provides an understanding on the condition of public healthcare system in peripheral nations in relation to the healthcare system advisories from the World Health Organization (WHO) in the context of handling the pandemic outbreak. Also, it explains the catalysts that heightened the pandemic’s rapid spread in advanced countries despite the higher capacity of their healthcare system to manage health emergencies.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Declaration of Funding: This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sector.
Citation
Shodunke, A.O., Oladipupo, S.A., Tayo-Ladega, O.T., Alowolodu, A.J. and Adebayo, Y.O. (2022), "COVID-19 pandemic, global advisories and the imperatives of strengthening the public healthcare system: Nigeria in context", International Journal of Health Governance, Vol. 27 No. 4, pp. 441-448. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJHG-06-2022-0053
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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