THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 IN NIGERIA - STRATEGIC PLANNING TO MITIGATE ITS EFFECTS ON VERY YOUNG CHILDREN

Oct 15, 2026

The article examines the COVID-19 pandemic’s status in Nigeria and proposes a classic strategic planning framework to mitigate its spread until it can be fully contained. It discusses how respiratory droplets and close contact drive transmission and highlights risks to vulnerable groups, especially children under five. The work reviews Nigeria’s contemporary health care conditions, analyzes current impacts, and recommends a strategic paradigm for future pandemic crises.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages12

Reading Time30 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

A Strategic Planning Paradigm

Cooperativeness

Comprehensiveness

Continuousness

THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 IN NIGERIA: STRATEGIC PLANNING TO MITIGATE ITS EFFECTS ON VERY YOUNG CHILDREN OLASUMBO ADELAKUN St. Bonaventure University, U.S.A. WALTER POLKA Niagara University, U.S.A. ABSTRACT The authors of this article identify the status of the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria andpropose the use of a classic strategic planning paradigm to mitigate its spread until it may be completely arrested. Vaccines have been developed to combat the disease which current evidence suggests is spread by respiratory droplets among people who are in close contact with each other (WHO, 2020). But this presumed mode oftransmission has led to concerns in the scientific and medical communities about the disastrous effects the virus may have on the African continent which has historically lagged therest of the world in the delivery ofquality health care especially for some of the most vulnerable populations like children under 5 years of age. This article provides information regarding the contemporary health care situation in Nigeria for such vulnerable populations, analyzes the current impact ofCOVID-19, and recommends a successful strategic planning paradigm to address similar catastrophic health experiences in the future. A STRATEGIC PLANNING PARADIGM The authors of this article recognize that there are numerous theories and pragmatic examples of effective strategic planning processes that have been employed in social institutions and organizations (Bryson, 2018; Chambers and Taylor, 2020; Kauffman, Herman, and Waters, 2002). However, they believe that a seminal theoretical strategic planning procedure for Nigerian leaders to employ is the approach initially articulated by Edward Krug, subsequently, referred to as “Krug’s 4 Cs” for effective planning (Polka, 2007) . This approach recognizes that there are four key organizational change concepts that must be addressed when developing strategic plans. These Four Cs are: Cooperativeness, Comprehensiveness, Continuousness, and Concreteness. Each of those four-strategic planning theoretical framework components are further described and analyzed below in terms of their respective application to the Nigerian COVID-19 health care crisis to provide a pragmatic planning paradigm to assist government policymakers, local state officials, health-care authorities, and educational administrators abate the impact of current and future pandemics. Cooperativeness This factor is a key component of strategic planning to effectively manage catastrophes, whether natural or man-made, since it is predicated on the established principle that policies and procedures designed to improve an organization’s or institution’s performance are best developed using an inclusive collaborative process that reflects a shared-decision making consensus with input from a variety of perspectives involving as many diverse stakeholder constituencies and key actors as possible (Allison and Kaye, 2005; Chambers and Taylor, 2020; Dobbs and Dobbs, 2015). Planning for potential catastrophes must not be limited to a single authoritative lens or oligopolist views Educational Planning Summer 2021 67 Vol. 28, No. 3 that limit policy perceptions and tactical options in developing, implementing, and evaluating opportunities to address the various dimensions of the threat to all citizens (Chatman and Barsade 1995; Rank and Tuschke, 2014) . The application of this strategic planning component in the present Nigerian context requires that Federal government authorities cooperatively coordinate the policy directives and tactical procedures with the state government authorities in each of Nigeria’s 36 states. Leaders of government agencies at all levels must work collaboratively with the leaders from health care, education, social services, security, and the various distinct communities including religious sects to develop, implement, and evaluate action plans to address the survival needs of the most vulnerable

FAQs

What strategic planning approach does the article recommend for Nigerian leaders?

It recommends the approach known as “Krug’s 4 Cs,” which addresses four organizational change concepts for effective strategic planning: Cooperativeness, Comprehensiveness, Continuousness, and Concreteness.

Why does the article focus on children under five?

It highlights that Nigeria historically lags in delivering quality health care, making especially vulnerable populations—such as children under 5—more at risk during COVID-19 impacts.

How does the article describe the role of cooperativeness in managing the crisis?

It emphasizes inclusive, collaborative shared-decision making across federal and state authorities and among sectors such as health care, education, social services, security, and community and religious stakeholders.

Oct 15, 2026

Upload by MrHarris58