74.8 Overall Score

Ghana

Data as of Aug 1
Next 》

70.5 Public Health
Directives
33.1 Financial
Response
100 Fact-Based
Communication

70.5 Public Health
Directives
33.1 Financial
Response
100 Fact-Based
Communication

Ghana scores strongly on the Index, due primarily to its proactive public health policy, strong examples set by leadership, and reliance on facts; while consistently strong, it does have very weak testing, limited emergency healthcare spending, and a weak stimulus.

Pre-COVID Conditions

Ghana’s poor population health, weak healthcare system, low number of hospital beds, and low GDP per capita resulted in it being in a relatively vulnerable position pre-pandemic.

Debt/GDP ratio 59.3%
GDP/capita $7,343
Gini coefficient (out of 100) 43.5
Infant mortality rate (out of 1,000 live births) 35
Healthcare access score (out of 100) 49.7
Hospital beds/1,000 People 5.8

Government Response

Select a data point for more information
(Data points represent policy level as of Aug 1.)

70.5

Public Health Directives

Despite a relaxed lockdown and limited testing, Ghana’s public health policy is relatively strong, gathering consistently high scores in most areas.

Stay at home order 2
Public gathering restrictions 3
School closings 2
Public event cancellations 2
Testing policy 3
Emergency healthcare investments/capita $3.22
Travel restrictions 4
Tests/1,000 people 0.1
Contact tracing 2

33.1

Financial Response

Ghana’s financial stimulus is one of the smallest in the Index, and the government offers no income support to workers, resulting in a relatively weak score.

Financial stimulus as share of GDP 0.2%
Income support 0
Debt forebearance 0

100

Fact-Based Communication

Ghana’s leadership has avoided misinformation and conspiracy theories in its communications, emphasising prevention of spread and basic hygiene practices.

Reliance on science/fact based information 0
Press freedom 0

COVID-19 Status as of Aug 1

Ghana’s current status of Covid-19 is relatively strong, boosted by a very low death rate, although it may be testing a sicker share of the population.

Total deaths 182
Death rate per 100K 5.9
Total cases 35,501
Cases per 100K 1,143
Percent of positive tests 18.7

Daily cases Level 2 Lockdown

	Date	Status	New Cases/1M
1	Jun 05	Religious services with fewer than 100 people are allowed	7.27
2	Jun 15	Schools and universities reopen	10.69

Differentiating Factors

Officials model healthy behavior: Ghana's leadership has focused on setting a good example to the public. Both President Nana Akufo-Addo and his Health Minister announced in early July that they would self-isolate following a close contact testing positive for coronavirus, and deputy Trade and Interior Minister Carlos Kinglsey Ahenkorah was forced to resign after violating self-isolation protocols. Read More
Major expansion in healthcare capacity: In mid-May it was announced that 90 new hospitals would be built as part of an overhaul of the healthcare system, which has struggled to cope with COVID-19. Read More
Leaders fighting insurgents amid COVID-19: Ghana's relatively low case incidence and death rate is particularly impressive considering that the government has had to focus much of its attention on counter-terrorism against JNIM and ISGS, both of whom are pushing westward. Read More

Compared with Other African Countries

74.5
Senegal 10,232
Cases 611
Per 1M 205
Deaths

Senegal’s COVID-19 policy response has been very strong across the board, buoyed by strong public health directives and a reliance on science and facts.
88
Kenya 20,636
Cases 384
Per 1M 341
Deaths

Kenya has a strong overall policy score, although down significantly from January. However, it is consistently scoring well in all areas, particularly its reliance with respect to facts and science on COVID-19.
81
Ethiopia 17,530
Cases 153
Per 1M 274
Deaths

Despite having relatively weak pre-pandemic capacity, swift action and prevention-based messaging from the government helped mitigate spread early on in the crisis.
54.2
South Africa 493,183
Cases 8,316
Per 1M 8,005
Deaths

Overall, South Africa's score is relatively strong with vigorous policy implementation—particularly with respect to lockdowns—offset by its relatively meager financial response.

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Statistics and government response factors available on each country profile include:

Pre-COVID Conditions:

Debt to GDP ratio
Infant mortality rates
Hospital beds per 1,000 people
Gini coefficients measuring inequality
Health access and quality

COVID-19 Public Health Directives:

Stay-at home orders
School-closing policy
Public-gathering restrictions
Cancellation of public events
Testing policy and rates per 1,000 people
Emergency healthcare spending per capita
Travel restrictions
Contact tracing

COVID-19 Financial Response:

Stimulus package as a share of GDP
Income support
Debt-forbearance

Public Communications:

Instances of misinformation by leadership
Limitations on press freedom, censorship

Current/Historic In-Country COVID-19 Status:

Death rates per 1 million
Case rates per 1 million