COVID-19: How’s Africa responding to the pandemic?

https://www.newtimes.co.rw/africa/coronavirus-kinshasa-goes-under-partial-lockdown

Now, the question to the African leaders is whether a partial lockdown and social distancing, to the same people who are characterized by constant movement, and hustling way of life, will save lives. The bigger one for us all is whether the people in slums understands what’s at stake. I’m still in the process of understanding if for Africans, the viral spreads at night or maybe we have door to door testing going between dark hours. May be this is a modified lockdown measure.

It is important to acknowledge that this is a different time for the world, and different time’s calls for different decisions. However, while making these decisions, it’s vital to understand the recipient. Again the long term goal is an important factor. When we are asking for a total lockdown, we should be prepared to socially protect the more than 83% informal sector workers from different African nations that live on hand to mouth income strategy. Governments are taking too long to close borders and impose total lockdowns which has proved reckless for most nations. If it has to be done, then procrastination isn’t part of the deal. One minute of inadequate oxygen costs a life. There isn’t time for governments to pilot measures. Now, when governments announce a lockdown in two days, what is it telling the long distance trader who can walk 500km a day? It’s a special time, not a holiday season. We are repeating the same mistakes Italy and Spain did. And I ask myself, who sees his own brother in pain for stepping on fire, prays with him for quick recovery, then heads straight to the fire?

You and I are at home practicing social distancing but how many people are living in that house? During the day, people are out working in informal settings, where it’s impossible to keep 1.5 metres distance. Lovers and family members are frequently coming together, staying 6 or 10 in a one bed-roomed house to take advantage of the ‘holiday’ to reconnect.

https://www.iied.org/dealing-covid-19-towns-cities-global-south

In an apartment of more than 200 residents, half of them interact at night, and almost all hold those metal grills going down in the morning to fetch bread and milk for breakfast. It’s important to understand, the common citizen views self-quarantine as staying within the apartment, but not within their rooms. Therefore, it’s time we sought measures applicable to African social life.

We all have questions to ask, but currently, there are no books written to scientifically source answers. May be humanity has the answer.

This time in history will be marked by improved hygiene. more increase in population growth than mortality rate, change in attitude and personality and shock on nepotism and racism. However, that history may not apply to Africa. It will be a time when history was rewritten. When humanity was bound by social ties and not economic nor political interests. Governments, common citizen, media, police, fought to make this world safe again but again, this may not be the case in Africa where social and political ties are still being used to share information, distribute food, sanitizers and where people of a certain class are not subjected to lockdowns. It’s time we got to stop moving the virus, it’s time to stay alone, not travel home to visit relatives and neighbors. It’s time to let the world rest, it’s time to let planet earth synergize.

This positive energy may however not work for poor African countries where people are worried about hunger more than COVID-19. Therefore if this policy has to work, then something in that policy must change, the policy must be complimented by a solution to unaffordable basic needs. Rent, food and clothing. And as we go through this, let the world prepare for post-Corona challenges such as rise in unemployment, recession, increased rental rates, possible inflation, and over-stretched social welfare among others.

Disclaimer:I do not own right to any photos used in my blog