MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 27th May, 2020) The treatment of pre-existing contagious diseases, such as malaria and tuberculosis, in Africa should not be disrupted by the fight against the coronavirus pandemic or else the progress of the past several years risks being reversed, WHO Africa Program Manager for Emergency Response Michel Yao told Sputnik in an interview.
"We can have a situation where malaria will kill more than COVID-19, for example, if we stop intervention. It is also the same for HIV treatment and tuberculosis treatment. These are the diseases that are ongoing and we can see reverse of some of the gain from vaccination: measles outbreaks popping up and the gains against poliomyelitis [overturned]," Yao said.
The WHO official urged African nations to keep up the continuity of regular medical services throughout the coronavirus pandemic, with the triage of COVID-19 and other life-threatening infectious diseases.
In particular, Yao recommended that prevention mechanisms be strengthened back and more attention be paid to issues related to nutrition.
The WHO expert specifically pointed out the importance of stepping up such measures for vulnerable populations such as migrants and internationally displaced persons.
