The Combat against COVID-19 in Portugal: How State Measures and Data Availability Reinforce Some Organizational Values and Contribute to the Sustainability of the National Health System

Abstract

Countries are facing a pandemic crisis in the context of a new disease from the coronavirus family, referred to as COVID-19. This article aims to present the main facts related to the fight against the pandemic from the perspective of the Portuguese governance, aiming to contribute to the knowledge of crisis management by political leaders as well as the performance of public entities. The present research was conducted through a quantitative approach, using data publicly provided by the Portuguese Directorate General of Health. An explanatory and descriptive study is presented about the current panorama, and yet to be shared good practices of crisis management and the relevance of organizational values in crisis management and crisis coordination are also discussed. Based on the lessons from Portugal, the authors suggest the relevance of organizational values and stakeholders’ coordination as key factors in crisis situations, such as the current one.