A qualitative study of the government's engagement of the private health sector in the delivery of Ghana's COVID-19 emergency response

Introduction There is a growing literature on the significance of private sector engagement and collaboration for optimal response to health emergencies. The current study examines how the private sector was engaged by the Ghanaian government to implement effectively the national COVID-19 emergency response. Methods The study drew on a qualitative research design, interviewing 20 respondents in 15 unique organisations. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed using a thematic analytical approach. Findings The findings of the study suggest that the government demonstrated leadership in mobilising, resourcing, and collaborating with the private health sector to deliver its pandemic response via a defined emergency response plan, a coordinated pandemic response structure and a robust platform for information gathering and sharing. However, the government fell short of providing the enabling environment for the private health sector to expand their capacity to meet increased demand for health services during the pandemic. There were also challenges related to the over concentration of resources in the public health response and national level structures to the detriment of clinical care and sub-national level structures. Generally, the findings also indicate a fragmented private health sector that is not only unattractive for the government to engage and collaborate with, but also weak in terms of capacity (financial and human resources) to partner government and respond to any major health emergency. Conclusion There is a need for policymakers to put in place an appropriate policy framework that will help in organising, engaging and collaborating with private health entities. The gaps identified and lessons learnt from implementing the pandemic response should be addressed as a matter of urgency to improve the readiness of Ghana's health system for future health emergencies.