CHORUS hosts a panel session in ICUH

International Conference on Urban Health (IUCH) was held on 6-8 July 2021 with a theme of “Transforming our collective urban future: Learning from COVID-19”. CHORUS research consortium hosted a panel session on role of private sector in COVID019 response where presenters from Nigeria, Ghana, Nepal and Bangladesh shred findings of the study in respective countries. HERD International researcher MS Shophika Regmi said private sector support to COVID-19 largely focused on testing, treatment management, relief distribution, equipment and PPEs, quarantine management and risk communication. “Resource shortage with the local governments and delayed engagement of private sector impacted COVID-19 response. On the other, COVID-19 caused serious problem in the livelihood of urban poor,” she shared the finding of the study.
Professor Zahidul Quayyum from the James P Grant School of Public Health, BRAC, Bangladesh, chaired the session with the following presentations:
1) Within the context of federalisation, the changing roles of municipalities and private sector engagement in COVID-response and its impact on city residents in Nepal. Shophika Regmi: HERD International, Nepal
2) Contributions of the government and private sectors towards alleviating covid-19 impacts, governance challenges and implementation disconnects encountered by city governments and the urban poor. Lauren J. Wallace: School of Public Health, University of Ghana
3) The novel contribution of the private sector in a multi-sector response to COVID-19 in Nigeria, the challenges of coordination and transparency in managing financial and material resources and implications for vulnerable urban dwellers. Chinyere Mbachu: Health Policy Research Group & Department of Community Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria
4) The role of city government and private sectors (for-profit and NGOs) in tackling the crisis of COVID-19 in Bangladesh, coordination and synergies across different ministries at central and city levels. Deepa Barua: The ARK Foundation

Panelists:
Obinna Onwujekwe: Health Policy Research Group & Department of Health Administration and Management, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria Ituku-Ozalla campus
Rumana Huque, The ARK Foundation, Bangladesh
Genevieve Cecilia Aryeetey, snr Lecturer in health economics and policy School of Public
Health, University of Ghana
Sushil Baral: HERD International, Nepal
Irene Agyepong, Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons