The Black Diaspora and Africa’s COVID-19 Response: Transnational Solidarities, State Engagement, and the Ghanaian Experience  

Wilson Dabuo

Lecturer, Department of History Education, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana. 

Abstract

Pandemics are recurring historical phenomena that have shaped societies globally, yet scholarship on COVID-19 has largely centred on biomedical explanations, often marginalizing African perspectives and state responses. This study addresses this gap by examining African interpretations and responses to COVID-19, with particular reference to Ghana within a global historical context. The study adopts a multidisciplinary historical approach, drawing on primary sources including interviews, oral testimonies, archival repositories, government addresses, and print media, alongside secondary literature from history, public health, and the social sciences. Qualitative and comparative analysis is employed. Findings reveal that Africa’s COVID-19 response was shaped by historical memory, political leadership, communal ethics, and diasporan engagement, influencing public compliance and policy outcomes. The study underscores the importance of culturally grounded public health strategies and inclusive governance, offering critical lessons for pandemic management in developing countries.     

Keywords: Africa, Diaspora, COVID-19, Pandemics, Public health, Responses 

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