ERGO Session 4. COVID-19 in low- and middle-income countries: Implications for outcomes contracts

In response to the global coronavirus outbreak, the GO Lab has launched a new peer learning group called Emergency Responses  and Government Outcomes (ERGO). This group will convene to take stock of the implications that emergency situations such as the current coronavirus pandemic have on those implementing outcomes-based approaches. 

What are the experiences of COVID-19 in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs)? How are governments, NGOs and funders reacting to the crisis in these contexts? What does COVID-19 mean for outcomes contracts in LMICs? And, what should high-income countries learn from their experiences and response efforts? 

This virtual panel brings together a range of experts to speak about COVID-19 experiences in LMICs, including perspectives on changes to policy, various approaches to emergency response, and how services and outcomes funding in these contexts are designed to cope, or not, with this crisis.

This session explores how stakeholders LMICs are reacting to the COVID-19 crisis. Effectively responding to COVID-19 is made all the more challenging because LMICs are typically low capacity and capability settings both in terms of financial and human capital. Yet, despite scarcity of recourses LMICs are disproportionally impacted by humanitarian and natural crises in comparison to high-income countries, therefore what past lessons can we draw upon when developing emergency management responses to COVID-19 and can they be applied to high-income countries?