1. Home
  2. Journals
  3. Biomedical Research and Clinical Advancements
  4. Current Issues
  Submit Manuscript

Research Article | DOI: https://doi.org/BRCA-RA-25-38

African Healthcare Systems - Resilience in The Face of a Lockdown: Lessons from The Covid-19 Shutdown

Henry Kofi. Bosompem *

Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Science and Humanities, University of Fort Hare, Alice Campus, Alice, South Africa 

*Corresponding Author: Henry Kofi. Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Science and Humanities, University of Fort Hare, Alice Campus, Alice, South Africa

Citation: Henry Kofi. Bosompem (2026). African Healthcare Systems - Resilience in The Face of a Lockdown: Lessons from The Covid-19 Shutdown, J Biomedical Research and Clinical Advancements; 3 (1) 38, DOI: BRCA-RA-25-38

Copyright: Henry Kofi. Bosompem, et al © (2025). This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Received: 02 January 2026 | Accepted: 10 January 2026 | Published: 19 January 2026

Keywords: health system resilience; COVID-19; lockdown; Africa; Africa CDC; essential health services; community health workers

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic and the associated lockdowns posed an unprecedented shock to health systems worldwide. Africa’s health systems entered the pandemic with well-documented structural vulnerabilities, yet responses and outcomes across the continent were heterogeneous. This article synthesises peer-reviewed literature, institutional reports, and country case studies to examine how African health systems coped with strict lockdown measures during the COVID-19 pandemic, identifies features of resilience that emerged, and draws practical lessons for future epidemic responses and health-system strengthening. Key findings are: (1) lockdowns caused substantial disruptions to routine health services (maternal and child health, HIV, TB, immunisation), largely through reduced access, transport restrictions, and fear-driven avoidance; (2) resilience was enabled by adaptable governance (rapid coordination via Africa CDC and WHO AFRO), repurposing of resources (labs, staff, telemedicine), strong community health-worker networks, and targeted social-protection measures; and (3) persistent weaknesses—chronic underfunding, supply-chain dependence, and inequities—limited system recovery and exposed tradeoffs between epidemic control and essential care. We offer policy recommendations to institutionalise resilience: invest in primary health care and community health workers, formalise regional supply platforms, expand integrated digital health and surveillance, and build flexible financing mechanisms for surge capacity. The African experience provides instructive strategies for combining containment with maintenance of essential services in future lockdowns or large-scale disruptions.

References

  1. Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). (2021). Africa CDC Annual report 2021. Africa CDC. Retrieved from Africa CDC website.
    View at Publisher | View at Google Scholar
  2. Bose, B., et al. (2023). Impacts of the COVID-19 lockdown on healthcare access: evidence from Uganda. [Article]. PubMed Central. dOI: https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.23-0144
    View at Publisher | View at Google Scholar
  3. Haldane, V., et al. (2021). Health systems resilience in managing the COVID-19 pandemic: lessons from 28 countries. Nature Medicine, 27(6), 964–975. doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-021-01381-y .
    View at Publisher | View at Google Scholar
  4. Haider, N., et al. (2020). Lockdown measures in response to COVID-19 in nine sub-Saharan African countries. BMJ Global Health, 5(10), e003319. doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2020-003319
    View at Publisher | View at Google Scholar
  5. Lone, S. A., & Ahmad, A. (2020). COVID-19 pandemic – an African perspective. Emerging Microbes & Infections, 9(1), 1300–1308. doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/22221751.2020.1775132 .
    View at Publisher | View at Google Scholar
  6. Pillay, Y. (2021). Impact of COVID-19 on routine primary healthcare services in Africa: evidence and implications. South African Medical Journal (and related analyses). doi: https://doi.org/10.7196/SAMJ.2021.v111i2.15056
    View at Publisher | View at Google Scholar
  7. Salyer, S. J., et al. (2021). The first and second waves of the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa: a cross-sectional analysis. The Lancet, 130, 2741–2744. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/
    View at Publisher | View at Google Scholar
  8. Tannor, E. K., et al. (2023). Impact of COVID-19 on health service utilisation in sub-Saharan Africa: a scoping review. BMC Global Health, 2024 (online). doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2023-074769
    View at Publisher | View at Google Scholar
  9. Tessema, G. A., Kinfu, Y., Dachew, B. A., et al. (2021). The COVID-19 pandemic and healthcare systems in Africa: a scoping review of preparedness, impact and response. BMJ Global Health, 6(12), e007179. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2021-007179 .
    View at Publisher | View at Google Scholar
  10. UN Secretary-General. (2020). Policy brief: The impact of COVID-19 in Africa. United Nations. UN Sustainable Development Goals
    View at Publisher | View at Google Scholar
  11. World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa (WHO AFRO). (2022). Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan for the WHO African Region, 1 Feb 2022–31 Mar 2023. WHO AFRO. Retrieved from WHO AFRO. WHO | Regional Office for Africa
    View at Publisher | View at Google Scholar
  12. Resolve to Save Lives / analysis. (2021). COVID-19 in Africa: Epidemics that didn’t happen — lessons from previous outbreaks.
    View at Publisher | View at Google Scholar
  13. Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF). (2023). Africa CDC: Its evolution and key issues for its future. Issue brief.
    View at Publisher | View at Google Scholar
  14. Alam, U., & others. (2021). Redesigning health systems for global health security. The Lancet Global Health.
    View at Publisher | View at Google Scholar
  15. Haldane, V., et al. (2021). [Resilience framework perspective]. Nature Medicine.
    View at Publisher | View at Google Scholar
  16. Pillay, Y., et al. (2021). Impact of COVID-19 on routine primary healthcare services in Africa and Asia (evidence cited). SAMJ and Global Fund reviews. doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.992481
    View at Publisher | View at Google Scholar
  17. Haider, N., et al. (2020). Lockdown design and implications for sub-Saharan Africa. BMJ Global Health, 5:e003319. doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/ bmjgh-2020-003319
    View at Publisher | View at Google Scholar
  18. Tannor, E. K., et al. (2024). Updated scoping review: health service utilisation in sub-Saharan Africa during COVID-19. BMC Global Health.
    View at Publisher | View at Google Scholar
  19. Tessema, G. A., Kinfu, Y., Dachew, B. A., et al. (2021). The COVID-19 pandemic and healthcare systems in Africa: a scoping review of preparedness, impact and response. BMJ Global Health 6:e007179.
    View at Publisher | View at Google Scholar
  20. Haldane, V., De Foo, C., Abdalla, S. M., et al. (2021). Health systems resilience in managing the COVID-19 pandemic: lessons from 28 countries. Nature Medicine. doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-021-01381-y
    View at Publisher | View at Google Scholar
  21. Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). (2021). Africa CDC Annual Report 2021; Africa Medical Supplies Platform.
    View at Publisher | View at Google Scholar
  22. Pillay, Y. (2021). Impact of COVID-19 on routine primary healthcare services in Africa: evidence and implications. South African Medical Journal. doi: https://doi.org/10.7196/SAMJ.2021.v111i2.15056
    View at Publisher | View at Google Scholar
  23. Bose, B., et al. (2023). Impacts of the COVID-19 Lockdown on Healthcare Inaccessibility and Unaffordability in Uganda. (longitudinal household analysis). PMC article. doi: https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.23-0144
    View at Publisher | View at Google Scholar
  24. Opoku-Boateng, Y. N., et al. (2024). Effect of Covid-19 on maternal and newborn care (Ghana). PLOS One / national analyses.
    View at Publisher | View at Google Scholar
  25. Moyo, S., et al. (2024). Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on routine child immunisation in South Africa. PMC article. doi:https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-024-20591-w
    View at Publisher | View at Google Scholar
  26. Arsenault, C., et al. (2022). COVID-19 and resilience of healthcare systems in ten countries. Nature Medicine. doi:https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-022-01750-1
    View at Publisher | View at Google Scholar
img

Harry Brooks

journal of Clinical Case Studies and Review Reports. I would be very delighted to submit my testimonial regarding the reviewer board and the editorial office.the reviewer board were accurate and helpful regarding anu modifications for my manuscript,and the editorial office were very helpful and supportive in contacting and monitoring with any update and offering help.it was my pleasure to contribute with your promising journal and i am looking forward for more collaboration.

img

Mark

My testimonial covering : the peer review process is qucick and effective,the support from the editorial office is very professional and friendly, quality of the Clinical Case Studies and Review Reports is scientific and publishers research.

img

Sinisa franjic

i would like to thank the editorial team for their timely responses and consideration in the publication of my paper . I would encourage to publish there research in ScienceFrontier.

img

Ritu Tiwari

I am pleased to submit my testimonials regarding the reviewer board and the editorial office. As a peer reviewer for the manuscript titled “A Novel Dissolution Method for Simultaneous Estimation of sennoside A and Sennoside B in Senna Tablet,” I was consistently impressed by the reviewers’ thorough analysis, insightful feedback, and unwavering commitment to enhancing the quality of the work. Their reviews were comprehensive and characterized by a respectful and collaborative approach, providing valuable suggestions that significantly improved the paper's outcome. Their dedication to the peer review process demonstrated their expertise and steadfast pursuit of excellence.

img

Qader Bawerdi

With all due respect, I would like to express my opinion on the peer review, editorial support, and the quality of the journal as follows: The peer review was conducted quickly and with great care, and my article was accepted for publication in less than a week. The editorial support regarding the status of the article process was excellent, and they informed me every day until the acceptance of the current status of the article version, and regarding how to answer questions, the editorial support was excellent, timely, and friendly, and they answered questions as soon as possible and did not hesitate. The quality of the journal was excellent and it made me proud to be acquainted with the journal, and I sincerely look forward to extensive scientific collaborations in any field. I hope for increasing success and pride for the International Journal of Social Science Research and Review and all scientific and knowledge-based communities. Thank you

img

Bhuvanagiri Sathya Sindhuja

"I would like to express my sincere appreciation for the opportunity to contribute to this esteemed journal. The publication process was smooth, well-coordinated, and the peer reviewers deemed highly professional. The editorial team demonstrated exceptional diligence and support at every stage, ensuring a seamless experience from submission to final publication. I am truly honored to be featured in such a reputable platform and look forward to future collaborations."

img

Safana Abdullah Algutaini

Testimonial for the Journal of Biomedical Research and Clinical Advancements It was a truly rewarding experience publishing our study, "Single-Surgeon Outcomes of Left Ventricular Aneurysm Repair in Wartime Syria: A 10-Year Retrospective Study at Damascus University Cardiac Surgery Hospital," with the Journal of Biomedical Research and Clinical Advancements. The editorial and peer-review process was both rigorous and efficient, demonstrating a high standard of academic integrity and scientific scrutiny. The journal’s commitment to open access and global health equity is evident in its support of research emerging from conflict-affected and resource-limited settings—making our work not only visible but impactful. The professionalism of the editorial team, the speed of communication, and the clarity of submission guidelines all contributed to a smooth publication process. We were particularly impressed by the quality of the publication layout and the prompt indexing of our article, which enhances its accessibility to clinicians, researchers, and policymakers worldwide. We are proud to have contributed to this journal and highly recommend it to fellow researchers seeking a reputable platform to disseminate clinically significant and globally relevant findings.

img

Sajjad Ur Rahman

It is a great pleasure and honour to write this testimonial for IJPHRE which published our article on TH for HIE in LMIC on Feb 16th, 2026 and a commentary article on the same subject on 31st January 2025. Going through the very fast, well supported and properly guided process of publication in IJPHRE was an exceptional experience. The submission was very quick; peer review was very professional and done within a reasonable and short time. The comments of the reviewers meaningfully helped to reshape the manuscript without changing the fundamental dataset and analysis. The editorial board was very helpful and supportive. The communication was clear and instant, almost on daily basis. The team of authors felt very proud of seeing its manuscript published in an international journal of very high quality and esteem in remarkably short time of almost 45 days. We highly recommend IJPHRE for publication of all kinds of original scientific research, review articles and clinical guidelines.