When we talk about covid situation in African countries there are many parameters to take into account, for instance: overpopulation, existence or non-existence of public health system, accessibility to meds or vaccines, availability of food and water, among others. While the news of Western countries covid situation are all over mass media, little is said about African countries and their management of the pandemics.
Data Reliability in Question
If one out of every two children born in Africa does not appear in the registry and, according to the WHO, 86% of covid-19 cases were never detected, what real statistical information exists on the continent and its health or educational needs? According to the latest data there have been at least 10,349,000 documented infections and 233,000 documented deaths from novel coronavirus in Africa to this date. Each country reports the data slightly differently and inevitably does not include deaths and infections that have not been diagnosed. Therefore, we focus on trends within countries as they try to contain the spread of the virus, regardless of whether they are approaching or passing the peak of infections, or experiencing a resurgence of infections or deaths. The peak percentage a country is currently reporting gives us a better idea of how far that country is from containing the spread of the virus relative to the worst days of the epidemic.
Vaccination Rate
Although Africa is home to 2 out of 10 of the world’s inhabitants, it has only received 7% of the coronavirus vaccines. While 241 million people in the northern hemisphere have already received the third dose, 93% of the continent has not even been summoned for the first. Vaccination is the first step towards the restoration of a continent that was already facing endless challenges and obstacles before the fateful 2020. “Without immunity, it is very unlikely that the social, economic and health aspects will improve,” says Camila Rocca, the director of the report entitled Covid-19. However, Morocco is not only at the head of Africa in vaccination rates, but has slipped on its own merits among the top ten countries in the world. On a continental scale, Morocco has injected more than 90% of the total doses that have reached Africa, according to data from the Moroccan Ministry of Health. In fact, Morocco is one of few African countries that have abide by the rules ever since the pandemics started, with massive lockdowns and curfews in force, its population also seek entertainment online, for instance, at ArabianBetting where you can find the best online gambling reviews for players in the Middle East and North Africa, and also various game types and exciting bonus offers.
Possible Recovery
According to the experts, talking about recovery on the continent involves moving several key pieces in addition to vaccination. Among the priorities is to guarantee access to internet connection. Although access to the virtual world has improved in the 54 nations evaluated, it is still the second lowest indicator. The classification indicates that almost 600 million Africans do not have access to electricity, an equivalent to twice the North American population. Nevertheless, there are percentages that have improved the trend in the last decade in areas such as health regulations. For the director of the study, the leadership of the African Union in recent years and the African Free Trade Area have been vital in strengthening the continent’s capacities: “There are many challenges ahead, but Africa continues to be the continent of opportunities. And this is where the largest mass of the world’s workforce will be by 2040; it is an enormous wealth”.
Mortality Rate
“Africa was largely spared from the pandemic in 2020, but not in 2021. We lack vaccines and we lack air,” wrote Mosoka Fallah, a contributor to the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, in the scientific journal Nature, and former General Director of the NPHIL. The current fatality rate of covid-19 in Africa is 18% higher than the world average and the situation is even worse with the critically ill: “Approximately half of those admitted to intensive care die in the first 30 days “says Fallah, and “much of this increase is being driven by the highly transmissible Delta strain”.
In conclusion, if given the right opportunities for training and education of African people, this continent would blossom in every aspect and deal with Covid pandemics much more efficiently.
