COVID-19 and Evidence-Based Policymaking (EBP): A Call for A Continental-Level Research Agenda in Africa

Abstract

COVID-19 global outbreak poses a growing threat to society's health, social and economic well-being. The crisis demands robust empirical analysis and facts from experts to policymakers. Knowledge gaps hinder policymakers on how best to respond to the 
emerging needs of the pandemic. In this respect, evidence-based policymaking (EBP) approaches encourage policymakers to rely on available evidence, analyses, and facts to develop policies for combating COVID-19. The EBP approach contrasts with opinion-driven 
policies and the use of unverified general information to support particular policy choices. Microsimulation is an important part of what is known as EBP and a powerful tool for policymakers. The goal of this research is to provide an explorative and concise discourse on available microsimulation models as a tool for EBP and to outline a continental-level research agenda in Africa. The knowledge base developed from this study provides policymakers with a valuable resource in combating COVID-19. Additionally, this research 
offers crucial information on the continental-level research agenda to experts participating in scholarly debates and academic discourses.