Health systems’ resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic: A South African polio surveillance case study

Abstract

Immunization campaigns are key in maintaining coverage, with individualized approaches in supporting the provinces. The existing health systems' structures of countries are a critical determinant of response to pandemics regardless of the available resources. Therefore, to ensure that the health systems maintain a balance between containing pandemics like COVID-19 and maintaining its core business, we recommend the establishment of a public health structure from the national to the community level to respond to public health emergencies and the early integration of pandemic services into the day-to-day health systems' business.