Response to the novel corona virus (COVID-19) pandemic across Africa: successes, challenges and implications for the future - Repository

Full text

: https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2020.01205

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has already claimed considerable lives. There are major concerns in Africa due to existing high prevalence rates for both infectious and non-infectious diseases and limited resources in terms of personnel, beds and equipment. Alongside this, concerns that lockdown and other measures will have on prevention and management of other infectious diseases and non-communicable diseases (NCDs). NCDs are an increasing issue with rising morbidity and mortality rates. The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that a lack of nets and treatment could result in up to 18 million additional cases of malaria and up to 30,000 additional deaths in sub-Saharan Africa.

Objective: Document current prevalence and mortality rates from COVID-19 alongside economic and other measures to reduce its spread and impact across Africa. In addition, suggested ways forward among all key stakeholder groups. Our Approach: Contextualise the findings from a wide range of publications including internet-based publications coupled with input from senior-level personnel.

Ongoing Activities: Prevalence and mortality rates are currently lower in Africa than among several Western countries and the USA. This could be due to a number of factors including early instigation of lockdown and border closures, the younger age of the population, lack of robust reporting systems and as yet unidentified genetic and other factors. Innovation is accelerating to address concerns with available equipment. There are ongoing steps to address the level of misinformation and its consequences including fines. There are also ongoing initiatives across Africa to start addressing the unintended consequences of COVID-19 activities including lockdown measures and their impact on NCDs including the likely rise in mental health disorders, exacerbated by increasing stigma associated with COVID-19. Strategies include extending prescription lengths, telemedicine and encouraging vaccination. However, these need to be accelerated to prevent increased morbidity and mortality.

Conclusion: There are multiple activities across Africa to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and address misinformation, which can have catastrophic consequences, assisted by the WHO and others, which appear to be working in a number of countries. Research is ongoing to clarify the unintended consequences given ongoing concerns to guide future activities. Countries are learning from each other.

Rights

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY): http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

Cite as

Ogunleye, O., Basu, D., Mueller, D., Sneddon, J., Seaton, R., Yinka-Ogunleye, A., Wamboga, J., Miljković, N., Mwita, J., Rwegerera, G., Massele, A., Patrick, O., Lum Niba, L., Nsaikila, M., Rashed, W., Hussein, M., Hegazy, R., Amu, A., Boahen-Boaten, B., Matsebula, Z., Gwebu, P., Chirigo, B., Mkhabela, N., Dlamini, T., Sithole, S., Malaza, S., Dlamini, S., Afriyie, D., Asare, G., Amponsah, S., Sefah, I., Oluka, M., Guantai, A., Opanga, S., Sarele, T., Mafisa, R., Chikowe, I., Khuluza, F., Kibuule, D., Kalemeera, F., Mubita, M., Fadare, J., Sibomana, L., Ramokgopa, G., Whyte, C., Maimela, T., Hugo, J., Meyer, J., Schellack, N., Rampamba, E., Visser, A., Alfadl, A., Malik, E., Malande, O., Kalungia, A., Mwila, C., Zaranyika, T., Chaibva, B., Olaru, I., Masuka, N., Wale, J., Hwenda, L., Kamoga, R., Hill, R., Barbui, C., Bochenek, T., Kurdi, A., Campbell, S., Martin, A., Phuong, T., Thanh, B. & Godman, B. 2020, 'Response to the novel corona virus (COVID-19) pandemic across Africa: successes, challenges and implications for the future', Frontiers of Pharmacology, 11, article no: 1205. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2020.01205

Downloadable citations

HTML BIB RIS

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2020.01205

Repository URI: https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/73489/