Some Lessons From Participatory Evaluation of the COVID-19 Response in the African Region

Abstract

This summary report describes partners’ experiences and reflections on responding to the COVID-19 pandemic in selected countries in the African Region. Using a common protocol for participatory evaluation and sensemaking, it communicates country partners’ experiences with the COVID-19 response in Gabon, Kenya, and Senegal as well as a regional perspective from partners in the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa (WHO AFRO). This report describes factors identified as associated with decreases (bending the curve) of new cases of COVID-19 over time, as well those associated with increases (worsening) of new cases, seen during the study period (2020–2021). We also report on partners’ identification of factors that enabled (made easier or possible) implementation of the COVID-19 response; and those that impeded (made more difficult) the response in participating countries, and in the broader WHO African Region. This report concludes with lessons learned and recommendations for practice in responding to public health emergencies based on experiences in the African Region.