Page 56 - GHES-3-1

Global Health Economics and
Sustainability
COVID-19 changed our world

Tuma et al. emphasized the need to replace traditional challenges in Guyana: the paucity of computers, laptops,
face-to-face activities with alternative surgical curricular or tablets; insufficient prior preparation of both students
components (Tuma et al., 2021). Ng (2021) explored and educators; inadequate national infrastructure; slow
pre-registration adjustments in the Medical Radiation Internet speeds; inconsistent electricity supply; ineffective
Science curriculum in response to the pandemic, noting course delivery; and poor student-teacher engagement.
their impact on varied stakeholders. Smith & Farra (2022) Issues such as long working hours, compromised
highlighted significant healthcare reforms triggered by deadlines, limited review capabilities, and concerns over
the pandemic, including changes in nursing practices mental health, cybersecurity, and viral exposure further
and education. Investigations comparing traditional exacerbated the difficulties faced by students and educators
classroom settings with VLS indicated that online learning (Oyedotun, 2020).
can prove more effective because it offers benefits such as Discrete surveys have been conducted with students
easier tracking of student progress, increased engagement, in different countries: for instance, in the Kitwe district
scheduling flexibility, enhanced efficiency, and improved in Zambia (Mukuka et al., 2021), at Western Michigan
academic collaborations (Hong et al., 2021). University in the United States (Al-Mawee et al., 2021),
VLS emerged as crucial tools that allowed educational and at an Afghan university (Noori, 2021). Most students
continuity during the pandemic but their implementation articulated both good and bad aspects of distance learning,
posed several challenges. Principal problems included such as the loss of social connection or the flexibility of
technological difficulties, high costs, low student time and place (Al-Mawee et al., 2021) in places where
engagement, and trouble with focus maintenance. Specific most residents did not enjoy adequate access to ICT,
concerns for medical students included two-dimensional power, or online services (Mukuka et al., 2021). Reuge
representations in anatomy or surgical skill courses, et al. (2021) published a paper titled “Education response
limited time to engage in academic discussions, and the to COVID-19 pandemic, a special issue proposed by
refusal of health institutions to accept trainees for practical UNICEF: Editorial review.” This review article included
experience stints during the pandemic (Ofori-Manteaw comments from UNICEF on the effects of school closures,
et al., 2022). VLS cannot completely replace traditional the efficacy of remote learning solutions, equality-related
in-person instruction but they offer notable advantages implications, and the prevention of learning losses, and
and serve as valuable educational aids in difficult times presented ideas about more effectively reopening schools.
(Onigbinde et al., 2021; Hilburg et al., 2020). Hao et al. The transition from in-person to online apparently exerted
underscored the growing significance of Internet-based a negative impact on the well-being of students enrolled
learning for medical and nursing students, both now in higher education institutions in discrete nations such
and in the future (Hao et al., 2022). Discrete research as Turkey (Topuz et al., 2021), Pakistan (Maqsood et al.,
groups (Patil et al., 2022; Chen et al., 2022) have also 2021), and Ethiopia (Mengistie, 2021). Students in these
highlighted the rapid advancements and improvements countries suffered mostly from anxiety and depression,
in radiology education during the pandemic. A hybrid and such psychiatric abnormalities were more prevalent in
approach combining simulation-based innovations, adolescent populations. Most students with mental health
virtual readouts, virtual teaching seminars, and remote difficulties belonged to migrant contexts, were female, or
work could potentially refine the traditional model of did not own substantial social support resources (Van de
in-person instruction by delivering flexibility, increasing Velde et al., 2021; Fretheim et al., 2021).
convenience, and offering residents more wide-ranging 4.4. Impact of COVID-19 on business
exposure (Patil et al., 2022).
The COVID-19 crisis opened doors to innovation and
The imperative of remote learning disproportionately offered many commercial organizations the opportunity to
impacted children belonging to racial minorities, living adopt new business models that could help them navigate
in poverty, requiring special education, or speaking the difficulties posed by the pandemic. However, the
English as a second language (Hoofman & Secord, 2021; crisis also introduced significant obstacles for enterprises.
Garg et al., 2020). Studies conducted across different The initial economic impact was characterized by abrupt
regions have revealed that inadequate online education decreases in the aggregate demand as well as supply; thus,
infrastructure and the shortage of qualified personnel were many businesses were jeopardized and their revenues
significant issues. For example, the absence of sustainable were significantly diminished (Seetharaman, 2020). For
online systems and limited Internet access in remote and instance, Internet-based businesses found it difficult to
rural areas were major obstacles in Nepal (Pal et al., 2021). sell their products online because lockdowns severely
Similarly, Oyedotun identified critical online education restricted import and export activities (Hasanat et al.,

Volume 3 Issue 1 (2025) 48 https://doi.org/10.36922/ghes.3992