The number of COVID-19 cases in Africa is largely under reported due to the lack of testing kits, and the early detection of the disease is essential to slowing its spread, Graciano Masauso, the founder of the Africa Health Organization (AHO), told Sputnik
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 27th March, 2020) The number of COVID-19 cases in Africa is largely under reported due to the lack of testing kits, and the early detection of the disease is essential to slowing its spread, Graciano Masauso, the founder of the Africa Health Organization (AHO), told Sputnik.
"Early detection is key to preventing the spread of COVID-19 ... Few cases have been reported in Africa, with only six countries having over 100 diagnosed cases. COVID-19 could still have yet to become widespread in Africa. However, a severe lack of diagnostic and testing capacity could be causing severe under reporting," Masauso said.
He recalled that the World Health Organization had laid out guidelines based on transmission scenarios that include no cases, sporadic cases, clusters of cases and community transmission.
"African countries should prepare for an outbreak based on their respective WHO scenario. All current and future cases should be found and all contacts should be contained to prevent additional spread of COVID-19 and contacts should be tested for the virus," Masauso said.
He also argued that poorer countries must ask for the assistance of organizations like the World Bank to help them survive the pandemic.
"LI [low income] and MI [middle income] nations should request funding from organizations like WHO and World Bank," Masauso said.
The international community could help the continent, which is at risk of becoming the worst-hit region of the world, by providing medical protection and testing kits, and sharing information on COVID-19, he noted.
"Personal protective equipment for healthcare workers is essential to protect healthcare workers and the public from the spread of COVID-19. Ventilators and additional bed capacity will help with a potential surge of patients. Diagnostic tests and expanding PCR testing [polymerase chain reaction] capabilities are essential for case confirmation. Finally, educational materials about COVID-19 and the importance of social distancing is essential. WHO has a list of essential biomedical materials ... and educational materials," Masauso said.
The AHO is an international health agency and an NGO founded in 1999 in Zimbabwe's Harare. The independently-run agency is engaged in leading strategic collaborative efforts among African countries to promote equity in health, combat diseases and improve the quality of people's lives.
The African region is witnessing a rapid rise in the number of reported confirmed COVID-19 cases, which have been registered in nearly all of the continent's nations. Since the start of the outbreak, 46 African countries have reported 3,243 cases of the virus and 83 fatalities, according to the African Union.
