A narrative review of lessons from Ghana’s COVID-19 response to inform future pandemic preparedness

Like many countries, Ghana entered the COVID-19 pandemic with pre-existing health system gaps. The pandemic tested the resilience of its healthcare infrastructure, revealing both strengths and weaknesses. This review aims to examine Ghana’s COVID-19 response, identify key challenges, and outline strategies to enhance future pandemic preparedness. This narrative review synthesizes published literature, government reports, and policy documents from March 2005 to June, 2025. Sources were retrieved from databases including PubMed, Google Scholar, and institutional repositories, with search terms combining “Ghana,” “COVID-19,” “pandemic response,” and “preparedness.” Relevant data were thematically analyzed to highlight response measures, challenges, and lessons learned. Ghana’s initial response was proactive, incorporating early surveillance, border controls, partial lockdowns, public education, and enabling legislation to support rapid interventions. Social protection measures, including food aid, utility bill relief, and expansion of social programs provided temporary support to vulnerable populations. However, systemic weaknesses hindered sustained pandemic control. These included limited intensive care capacity, few molecular testing facilities, delayed vaccine rollout, and inadequate training for healthcare personnel. In addition, challenges in equitable access to healthcare and socio-economic support were evident, especially among urban poor communities and remote learners lacking digital infrastructure. Public skepticism towards vaccines and gaps in communication further reduced intervention uptake. Ghana’s COVID-19 response demonstrated commendable early action but also revealed critical gaps in health system capacity, equity, and sustainability. Strengthening critical care facilities, integrating pandemic preparedness into medical and public health curricula, expanding molecular testing capacity, ensuring equitable vaccine distribution, and enhancing public health surveillance systems are essential. Moreover, socio-economic safety nets must be scaled up to protect vulnerable populations during crises. Ghana’s experience offers valuable insights for developing countries seeking to improve resilience against future pandemics. The lessons learned should inform evidence-based policy reforms and resource allocation to build a more equitable and prepared healthcare system.