Providing health services effectively during the first wave of COVID-19: A cross-country comparison on planning services, managing cases, and maintaining essential services

•Health care providers worldwide faced immediate challenges triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.•Despite substantial differences in health system provision, countries had many similar responses.•Initially, many countries hospitalized COVID-19 patients, but increasingly transitioned to outpatient care.•Remote consultations and cancelling or postponing non-urgent treatments were common adaptations.•Service delivery modifications during COVID-19 may become permanent features of care provision.