Question 1
The new coronavirus illness (COVID-19) was identified in China in 2019 and has
since spread around the globe, resulting in one of the most catastrophic global
health crises in history with substantial socioeconomic ramifications. While the health
repercussions of contagion are immediate, the economic consequences are mostly
the result of particular governments' preventative measures to limit disease spread.
In comparison to Asia, Europe, and America, however, these efforts have resulted in
significant economic losses for Africa.
Africa has a variety of obstacles, including a lack of testing capacity, with China and
the United States testing tenfold the number of persons that Africa does. Testing is
updated infrequently, and data is often inaccurate. Another challenge is the
continent's inadequate infrastructure, which includes a scarcity of hospitals and
medical supplies beds, ventilators, personal protective equipment (PPE),
medications, diagnostics, and surgical kits. Africa is facing healthy workers deficit.
Frequently, these laborers end up in Europe or the United States. Additionally, the
challenges include widespread mistrust of government treatment institutions and
public shame resulting in some symptomatic sufferers evading testing or leaving
treatment centers, while recovered patients are ostracized by their family and
communities. Others concocted conspiracy theories in order to support their opinion
that the disease did not exist.
While public health responses to the Covid-19 epidemic in Africa varied by nation,
they all followed a similar pattern of proclaiming states of emergency and
implementing mobility restrictions, mainly lockdown and shelter-in-place restrictions,
save for essential supplies such as food or medication. Additionally, the WHO
advises quarantine, social isolation, and self-isolation, as well as enhanced water,
sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) efforts. In many African countries Coronavirus
testing and contact tracking at the community level is being practiced. Social
isolation is a challenge in highly populated cities and suburbs where there is a lack of
essential infrastructure, and substandard living circumstances. These circumstances
are exacerbated further by a lack of safe drinking water for handwashing, which is
necessary for coronavirus prophylaxis.
The new coronavirus illness (COVID-19) was identified in China in 2019 and has
since spread around the globe, resulting in one of the most catastrophic global
health crises in history with substantial socioeconomic ramifications. While the health
repercussions of contagion are immediate, the economic consequences are mostly
the result of particular governments' preventative measures to limit disease spread.
In comparison to Asia, Europe, and America, however, these efforts have resulted in
significant economic losses for Africa.
Africa has a variety of obstacles, including a lack of testing capacity, with China and
the United States testing tenfold the number of persons that Africa does. Testing is
updated infrequently, and data is often inaccurate. Another challenge is the
continent's inadequate infrastructure, which includes a scarcity of hospitals and
medical supplies beds, ventilators, personal protective equipment (PPE),
medications, diagnostics, and surgical kits. Africa is facing healthy workers deficit.
Frequently, these laborers end up in Europe or the United States. Additionally, the
challenges include widespread mistrust of government treatment institutions and
public shame resulting in some symptomatic sufferers evading testing or leaving
treatment centers, while recovered patients are ostracized by their family and
communities. Others concocted conspiracy theories in order to support their opinion
that the disease did not exist.
While public health responses to the Covid-19 epidemic in Africa varied by nation,
they all followed a similar pattern of proclaiming states of emergency and
implementing mobility restrictions, mainly lockdown and shelter-in-place restrictions,
save for essential supplies such as food or medication. Additionally, the WHO
advises quarantine, social isolation, and self-isolation, as well as enhanced water,
sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) efforts. In many African countries Coronavirus
testing and contact tracking at the community level is being practiced. Social
isolation is a challenge in highly populated cities and suburbs where there is a lack of
essential infrastructure, and substandard living circumstances. These circumstances
are exacerbated further by a lack of safe drinking water for handwashing, which is
necessary for coronavirus prophylaxis.
