Culture and pandemic control at cross-roads: navigating the burial guidelines for COVID-19-related deaths in a Ghanaian setting.

BACKGROUND: Despite the large volume of scientific evidence on the rapid spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated high morbidity and mortality, little is known about the sociocultural disruptions which ensued. The current study explored the nuanced navigation of the COVID-19-related death and burial protocols and its impact on traditional burial and funeral rites in Ghana. METHODS: This qualitative study was based on the 'focused' ethnographic design. Data were collected using key informant interviews from nineteen COVID-19-related bereaved family members and public health officials involved in enforcing adherence to COVID-19-related death and burial protocols in the Cape Coast Metropolis of Central region of Ghana. Recursive analysis was conducted to generate the themes and sub-themes from the data. RESULTS: The overarching theme was "Uncultural" connotations ascribed to the COVID-19-related death and burial protocols. The COVID-19-related death and burial protocols were ubiquitously deemed by participants to be 'uncultural' as they inhibited deep-rooted indigenous and eschatological rites of separation between the living and the dead. This was fueled by limited awareness and knowledge about the COVID-19 burial protocols, resulting in fierce resistance by bereaved family members who demanded that public health officials release the bodies of their deceased relatives. Such resistance in the midst of resource limitation led to negotiated compromises of the COVID-19-related death and burial protocols between family members and public health officials. CONCLUSIONS: Insensitivity to socio-cultural practices compromised the implementation of the COVID-19 pandemic control interventions, particularly, the COVID-19-related death and burial protocols. Some compromises that were not sanctioned by the protocols were reached to allow health officials and families respectfully bury their dead. These findings call for the need to prioritize the incorporation of sociocultural practices in future pandemic prevention and management strategies.

Effects of COVID-19 on coastal livelihoods in the central region of Ghana.

The COVID-19 outbreak effects and related state responses, especially mobility restriction interventions, contributed to disruption in livelihoods in the coastal communities in Ghana. This paper uses an ethnographic approach to analyse the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and coping strategies adopted by small-scale fishers, fish traders and processors. We argued that focusing solely on the livelihoods of formal sector workers is problematic because it fails to consider the dynamics of informal coastal workers. Findings indicate that fishers, fish traders and processors experienced various effects on food, income, police harassment, and coping strategies, including migration, resorting to reusable face masks and food-compromising practices. Infectious diseases such as COVID-19 impact coastal people and their livelihoods. Therefore, implementing social protection measures to mitigate the effects of pandemics on livelihoods should be better coordinated and well-targeted to reach the most vulnerable. Findings from this study offer pointers to position preparedness and response efforts to future outbreaks in a similar context.