Dr Iqbal Survé: For Africa to survive Covid-19, we need to be prepared for whatever will come

Published 01 April 2020, By Dr Iqbal Survé

A shopper's hands are sanitised before enters an Atteridgeville shopping centre. For Africa to survive Covid-19, much will depend on its state of preparedness along with a profound behavioural change, says Dr Iqbal Survé. Picture: Oupa Mokoena/African News Agency (ANA)

For Africa to survive Covid-19, much will depend on its state of preparedness along with a profound behavioural change, says Dr Iqbal Survé in the second article of a 3-part series

“Be prepared,” the motto of the Scouts movement since 1907, speaks to being in readiness for anything that might happen.In scenario planning for crises, we also try to anticipate what the worst and best case would be for a given issue and prepare accordingly. I doubt many of us anticipated this moment, but that said, Africa is in a position to learn from international best practices so that to its best ability, it can “be prepared”.

It needs to be. Africa is recognised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as being particularly vulnerable to the impact of Covid-19. Tedros Ghebreyesus, director-general of the WHO, recently stated that Africa should “prepare for the worst and prepare today”.

The continent comprises roughly 1.35 billion people across 54 separate countries. The majority of South Africans and those living on the continent also reside in high-density areas with limited access to running water and electricity, and de facto, health care.

This makes containing the spread of Covid-19 especially difficult. Add to this the fact that there is a high prevalence of people with compromised immune systems who would be most vulnerable, and our need as a country and as a continent to be prepared is imperative.

Please read the full article here.

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