A quiet and deadly health catastrophe is brewing in Africa. Not from the coronavirus, but from age-old diseases that have overnight taken a back seat to the pandemic. IOL_Lifestyle
As scarce resources are diverted to cap Covid-19 cases and the fear of infection deters people from visiting medical facilities, diseases that health organisations have been trying for decades to eradicate - from malaria to yellow fever and HIV to tuberculosis - are set to surge.
The continent has done relatively well in keeping the march of the coronavirus in check. Most African nations responded quickly, imposing lockdowns to allow their health systems to prepare for the outbreak. As with the rest of the world, the pandemic has had a huge economic impact in Africa. According to the World Bank, sub-Saharan Africa will suffer its first recession in 25 years after economies were brought to a halt and global trade was disrupted.
"People's health-seeking behavior has changed, they are scared of covid, quarantine," he said. "There is a devastation of programs. It's an absolute catastrophe. We are going see a wave of secondary diseases, fatalities and morbidity." Travel restrictions mean that awareness and treatment campaigns have been halted in some countries and vaccination drives postponed in others.
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