“As the third wave of the coronavirus pandemic sweeps across Africa, the continent has become the most vulnerable region hit by the more transmissible Delta variant of the disease due to lack of vaccines and health facilities.”
“While case numbers and deaths from COVID-19 continue to rise across Africa, the devastating costs of the travel restrictions that have been imposed on visitors as a consequence continue to grow. The economic damage caused by the closure of the tourism economy in Southern and North Africa last year is continuing, perhaps worsening, this year.”
“In painfully slow increments, South Africa, India together with the leaders of the World Health Organization and World Trade Organization, backed by an army of campaigners are gleaning commitments on vaccines.”
“Budget day on 10 June in East Africa meant ‘borrowing’, as the region’s three biggest economies unveiled their tax and spending plans for the coming fiscal year.”
“The COVID-19 experience in Africa has been something of a rollercoaster ride. Early predictions were calamitous, then it seemed to pass ominously mildly (unless you were in South Africa) but now, looking at the current Indian experience, one senses that the caretakers of coronavirus on the continent are very nervous. The Indian variant has a foothold. Might it scale?”
“The United States support for a lifting of patents on COVID-19 vaccines in coming negotiations at the World Trade Organization is a big win for African campaigners and could offer new opportunities for local medical supply companies.”
“Trade and production deals may help the region’s vaccination drive in the short term more than lobbying for changes to the IP and patent laws.”
“Glitches in distribution in Western countries is holding back efforts to get vaccines to Africa.”
“The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and its director, John Nkengasong, are in a turf war after winning praise for their leadership combatting the pandemic throughout the continent.”
“A politically charged fight between the Treasury and the Health Department has derailed the government’s bid to buy vaccines cheaply and quickly. Doctors and scientists criticise officials for blocking information about pricing and delivery schedules, raising concerns that opportunistic businesses are again trying to capitalise on the emergency.”
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