India, which scored 63.88 out of 100, is ranked fourth in a global survey to assess public perception of government responses to the raging coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.
China scored 80.48, followed by South Korea (74.54) and South Africa (64.62) — the only nations that are ranked ahead of India.
Around 13,400 people were surveyed across 19 countries in June, whose findings have come out in PLOS ONE, a peer-reviewed open access scientific journal published by the Public Library of Science since 2006.
The average score varied considerably between countries – from 35.76 for Ecuador to 80.48 for China, where the public response was found to be the most positive.
The United States of America (USA) is ranked 17 among the 19 countries surveyed regarding the government cooperation with other nations and international organisations such as the World Health Organization (WHO).
The average score for a country was strongly linked to the level of trust in its government.
The Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), a centre supported by the “la Caixa” Foundation in coordination with the City University of New York Graduate School of Public Health (CUNY SPH) and other international institutions, developed an easy and reliable tool to evaluate the public perception of governmental response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The response has varied considerably among countries.
Although most governments have implemented a series of common measures such as mobility restrictions, closure of businesses, places of worship and schools, their timing and approach have been varied, the researchers said.
“We need basic tools to help us assess the public perception of government responses in key aspects such as communication, or access to healthcare services and social welfare,” said Jeffrey V Lazarus, a researcher at ISGlobal.
Countries in Asia reported higher scores, unlike Latin American and European nations.
Some of the questions that were asked to the public included whether the government communicated clearly to ensure that everyone had the information they needed to protect themselves and others from Covid-19, irrespective of their socio-economic conditions, migrant status, ethnicity or language.
The questions also focused on whether the government had a strong pandemic preparedness team, including public health and medical experts, to manage national response to the Covid-19 epidemic, and if it made sure there was access to the healthcare services.
The researchers hoped that the survey would help public health officials and other decision-makers identify and rectify weaknesses in key aspects of a country’s response, and track trends as the Covid-19 pandemic evolves.
