Open Access
Open access

Response to the Novel Corona Virus (COVID-19) Pandemic Across Africa: Successes, Challenges, and Implications for the Future

Olayinka O Ogunleye 1, 2
Debashis Basu 3, 4
Debjani Mueller 5
Jacqueline Sneddon 6
R. Andrew Seaton 6, 7, 8
Adesola F Yinka Ogunleye 9
Joshua Wamboga 10
Nenad Miljković 11
Julius C Mwita 12
Godfrey Mutashambara Rwegerera 13
Amos Massele 14
Patrick Okwen 15, 16
Loveline Lum Niba 15, 17
Melaine Nsaikila 15
Wafaa M Rashed 18
Mohamed Ali Hussein 18
Rehab Hegazy 19
Adefolarin A Amu 20
Baffour Boaten Boahen-Boaten 21
Zinhle Matsebula 22
Prudence Gwebu 22
Bongani Chirigo 22
Nongabisa Mkhabela 22
Tenelisiwe Dlamini 22
Siphiwe Sithole 22
Sandile Malaza 22
Sikhumbuzo Dlamini 22
Daniel Afriyie 23
George Awuku Asare 24
Seth Kwabena Amponsah 25
Israel Sefah 26, 27
Margaret Oluka 28
Anastasia N Guantai 28
Sylvia A Opanga 29
Tebello Violet Sarele 30
Refeletse Keabetsoe Mafisa 31
Ibrahim Chikowe 32
Felix Khuluza 32
Dan Kibuule 33
Francis Kalemeera 33
Mwangana Mubita 33
Joseph Fadare 34, 35
Laurien Sibomana 36
Gwendoline Malegwale Ramokgopa 3, 4
Carmen Whyte 3, 4
Tshegofatso Maimela 3, 4
Johannes Hugo 4, 37
Johanna C. Meyer 38
Natalie Schellack 38
Enos M Rampamba 38, 39
Adel Visser 40
Abubakr Alfadl 41, 42
Elfatih M Malik 43, 44
Oliver Ombeva Malande 45, 46
Aubrey C Kalungia 47
Chiluba Mwila 47
Trust Zaranyika 48
Blessmore Vimbai Chaibva 49
Ioana D. Olaru 50, 51
Nyasha Masuka 52
Janney Wale 53
Lenias Hwenda 54
Regina Kamoga 10, 55
Ruaraidh Hill 56
Corrado Barbui 57
Tomasz Bochenek 58
Amanj Kurdi 59, 60
Stephen Campbell 61, 62
Antony P Martin 63, 64
Thuy Nguyen Thi Phuong 65
Nguyen Thanh Binh 65
Brian Godman 38, 59, 66, 67
4
 
WHO Collaborating Centre for Social Determinants of Health and Health in all Policies, South Africa
5
 
Charlotte Maxeke Medical Research Cluster, South Africa
6
 
Healthcare Improvement Scotland, United Kingdom
7
 
Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, United Kingdom
9
 
Department of Surveillance and Epidemiology, Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, Nigeria
10
 
Uganda Alliance of Patients’ Organizations (UAPO), Uganda
15
 
Effective Basic Services (eBASE) Africa, Cameroon
18
 
Children's Cancer Hospital, Egypt
19
 
Pharmacology Department, Medical Division, National Research Centre, Egypt
22
 
Raleigh Fitkin Memorial Hospital, Eswatini
23
 
Pharmacy Department, Ghana Police Hospital, Ghana
26
 
Ghana Health Service, Pharmacy Department, Keta Municipal Hospital, Ghana
31
 
Independent Researcher, Lesotho
39
 
Department of Pharmacy, Tshilidzini Hospital, South Africa
40
 
Eugene Marais Hospital, South Africa
41
 
National Medicines Board, Federal Ministry of Health, Sudan
44
 
Community Medicine Council, SMSB, Sudan
46
 
East Africa Centre for Vaccines and Immunization (ECAVI), Uganda
49
 
Ministry of Health and Child Care, Zimbabwe
51
 
Biomedical Research and Training Institute, Zimbabwe
52
 
Zimbabwe College of Public Health Physicians, Zimbabwe
53
 
Independent Consumer Advocate, Australia
54
 
Medicines for Africa, South Africa
55
 
Community Health and Information Network (CHAIN), Uganda
64
 
HCD Economics, The Innovation Centre, United Kingdom
Publication typeJournal Article
Publication date2020-09-11
scimago Q1
wos Q1
SJR1.220
CiteScore8.9
Impact factor4.8
ISSN16639812
Pharmacology
Pharmacology (medical)
Abstract
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has already claimed considerable lives. There are major concerns in Africa due to existing high prevalence rates for both infectious and non-infectious diseases and limited resources in terms of personnel, beds and equipment. Alongside this, concerns that lockdown and other measures will have on prevention and management of other infectious diseases and non-communicable diseases (NCDs). NCDs are an increasing issue with rising morbidity and mortality rates. World Health Organization (WHO) warns that a lack of nets and treatment could result in up to 18 million additional cases of malaria and up to 30,000 additional deaths in sub-Saharan Africa. Objective: Document current prevalence and mortality rates from COVID-19 alongside economic and other measures to reduce its spread and impact across Africa. In addition, suggested ways forward among all key stakeholder groups. Our Approach: Contextualise the findings from a wide range of publications including internet-based publications coupled with input from senior-level personnel. Ongoing activities: Prevalence and mortality rates are currently lower in Africa than among several Western countries and the USA. This could be due to a number of factors including early instigation of lockdown and border closures, the younger age of the population, lack of robust reporting systems and as yet unidentified genetic and other factors. Innovation is accelerating to address concerns with available equipment. There are ongoing steps to address the level of misinformation and its consequences including fines. There are also ongoing initiatives across Africa to start addressing the unintended consequences of COVID-19 activities including lockdown measures and their impact on NCDs including the likely rise in mental health disorders, exacerbated by increasing stigma. Strategies include extending prescription lengths, use of drones, telemedicine and encouraging vaccination. However, these need to be accelerated to prevent increased morbidity and mortality Conclusion: There are multiple activities across Africa to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and address misinformation, which can be catastrophic, assisted by the WHO and others, which appear to be working in a number of countries. Research is ongoing to clarify the unintended consequences given ongoing concerns to guide future activities. Countries are learning from each other.
Found 
Found 

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GOST Copy
Ogunleye O. O. et al. Response to the Novel Corona Virus (COVID-19) Pandemic Across Africa: Successes, Challenges, and Implications for the Future // Frontiers in Pharmacology. 2020. Vol. 11.
GOST all authors (up to 50) Copy
Ogunleye O. O. et al. Response to the Novel Corona Virus (COVID-19) Pandemic Across Africa: Successes, Challenges, and Implications for the Future // Frontiers in Pharmacology. 2020. Vol. 11.
RIS |
Cite this
RIS Copy
TY - JOUR
DO - 10.3389/fphar.2020.01205
UR - https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2020.01205
TI - Response to the Novel Corona Virus (COVID-19) Pandemic Across Africa: Successes, Challenges, and Implications for the Future
T2 - Frontiers in Pharmacology
AU - Ogunleye, Olayinka O
AU - Basu, Debashis
AU - Mueller, Debjani
AU - Sneddon, Jacqueline
AU - Seaton, R. Andrew
AU - Yinka Ogunleye, Adesola F
AU - Wamboga, Joshua
AU - Miljković, Nenad
AU - Mwita, Julius C
AU - Rwegerera, Godfrey Mutashambara
AU - Massele, Amos
AU - Okwen, Patrick
AU - Niba, Loveline Lum
AU - Nsaikila, Melaine
AU - Rashed, Wafaa M
AU - Hussein, Mohamed Ali
AU - Hegazy, Rehab
AU - Amu, Adefolarin A
AU - Boahen-Boaten, Baffour Boaten
AU - Matsebula, Zinhle
AU - Gwebu, Prudence
AU - Chirigo, Bongani
AU - Mkhabela, Nongabisa
AU - Dlamini, Tenelisiwe
AU - Sithole, Siphiwe
AU - Malaza, Sandile
AU - Dlamini, Sikhumbuzo
AU - Afriyie, Daniel
AU - Asare, George Awuku
AU - Amponsah, Seth Kwabena
AU - Sefah, Israel
AU - Oluka, Margaret
AU - Guantai, Anastasia N
AU - Opanga, Sylvia A
AU - Sarele, Tebello Violet
AU - Mafisa, Refeletse Keabetsoe
AU - Chikowe, Ibrahim
AU - Khuluza, Felix
AU - Kibuule, Dan
AU - Kalemeera, Francis
AU - Mubita, Mwangana
AU - Fadare, Joseph
AU - Sibomana, Laurien
AU - Ramokgopa, Gwendoline Malegwale
AU - Whyte, Carmen
AU - Maimela, Tshegofatso
AU - Hugo, Johannes
AU - Meyer, Johanna C.
AU - Schellack, Natalie
AU - Rampamba, Enos M
AU - Visser, Adel
AU - Alfadl, Abubakr
AU - Malik, Elfatih M
AU - Malande, Oliver Ombeva
AU - Kalungia, Aubrey C
AU - Mwila, Chiluba
AU - Zaranyika, Trust
AU - Chaibva, Blessmore Vimbai
AU - Olaru, Ioana D.
AU - Masuka, Nyasha
AU - Wale, Janney
AU - Hwenda, Lenias
AU - Kamoga, Regina
AU - Hill, Ruaraidh
AU - Barbui, Corrado
AU - Bochenek, Tomasz
AU - Kurdi, Amanj
AU - Campbell, Stephen
AU - Martin, Antony P
AU - Phuong, Thuy Nguyen Thi
AU - Thanh Binh, Nguyen
AU - Godman, Brian
PY - 2020
DA - 2020/09/11
PB - Frontiers Media S.A.
VL - 11
PMID - 33071775
SN - 1663-9812
ER -
BibTex
Cite this
BibTex (up to 50 authors) Copy
@article{2020_Ogunleye,
author = {Olayinka O Ogunleye and Debashis Basu and Debjani Mueller and Jacqueline Sneddon and R. Andrew Seaton and Adesola F Yinka Ogunleye and Joshua Wamboga and Nenad Miljković and Julius C Mwita and Godfrey Mutashambara Rwegerera and Amos Massele and Patrick Okwen and Loveline Lum Niba and Melaine Nsaikila and Wafaa M Rashed and Mohamed Ali Hussein and Rehab Hegazy and Adefolarin A Amu and Baffour Boaten Boahen-Boaten and Zinhle Matsebula and Prudence Gwebu and Bongani Chirigo and Nongabisa Mkhabela and Tenelisiwe Dlamini and Siphiwe Sithole and Sandile Malaza and Sikhumbuzo Dlamini and Daniel Afriyie and George Awuku Asare and Seth Kwabena Amponsah and Israel Sefah and Margaret Oluka and Anastasia N Guantai and Sylvia A Opanga and Tebello Violet Sarele and Refeletse Keabetsoe Mafisa and Ibrahim Chikowe and Felix Khuluza and Dan Kibuule and Francis Kalemeera and Mwangana Mubita and Joseph Fadare and Laurien Sibomana and Gwendoline Malegwale Ramokgopa and Carmen Whyte and Tshegofatso Maimela and Johannes Hugo and Johanna C. Meyer and Natalie Schellack and Enos M Rampamba and others},
title = {Response to the Novel Corona Virus (COVID-19) Pandemic Across Africa: Successes, Challenges, and Implications for the Future},
journal = {Frontiers in Pharmacology},
year = {2020},
volume = {11},
publisher = {Frontiers Media S.A.},
month = {sep},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2020.01205},
doi = {10.3389/fphar.2020.01205}
}