Remarks by WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti
Good morning, good afternoon, bonjour and welcome to all the journalists joining this press conference, where we will reflect on the two-year-long path we’ve walked together since the first COVID-19 case was confirmed in Africa.
I am pleased to be joined for this conversation by Dr Sandile Buthelezi, Director-General of South Africa’s National Department of Health, who will share insights into his country’s response and vaccination programme.
Dr Albert Tuyishime, head of disease prevention and control in Rwanda’s Ministry of Health, will discuss some of the innovative strategies they leveraged to counter COVID-19, while Dr Arlindo Nascimento do Rosário, Cabo Verde’s Minister of Health and Social Security, will speak to what’s needed to move past this acute phase of this pandemic.
Bom dia, Honourable Minister, and a very warm welcome to you and all our panelists.
Monday, February 14, is the second anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa, during which countries have battled through four waves and several new variants of the virus.
There have now been more than 11 million COVID-19 cases reported, and 242 000 lives sadly lost in Africa due to the pandemic. The African continent accounts for nearly 3% of global cases, and just over 4% of global deaths.
However, as we stand here today, we are finally able to say that if current trends hold, there is light at the end of the tunnel. As long as we remain vigilant, and we act intensively, particularly on vaccination, the continent is on track for controlling the pandemic.
It’s been an extremely difficult two years but, against all odds, Africa is weathering this terrible storm.
The continent’s long history and experience with large outbreaks, along with an accumulation of learnings and expertise since the onset of COVID-19, has seen the response become more effective with each new wave.
While the first wave lasted about 29 weeks, the fourth wave was over in just six weeks, or about one-fifth of that time. There has also been an overall decline in the average number of deaths compared to cases – from 2.5 per 100 in the first wave, to less than one per 100 in the latest one.
Yet, the pandemic has taken a brutal toll, with tens of thousands of lives lost, and incalculable damage wrought to African economies and communities. The World Bank estimates that the pandemic has pushed up to 40 million people in Africa into poverty.
Controlling this pandemic must be a priority if we are to also end the disruption and destruction, and begin regaining control over our lives.
Vaccination is currently our best defence. While many countries are considering booster shots, 85% of Africans have yet to receive a single shot.
To reach the levels of immunity achieved in other parts of the world, vaccine uptake needs to be significantly accelerated across the Region – and urgently.
A steady supply of doses is now reaching our shores, so the focus needs to be translating those into actual shots in people’s arms. Currently, 672 million doses have been received in Africa, but only 11% of our adult populations are fully vaccinated.
African countries need to get behind the push to vaccinate 70% of their populations by mid-year if we are to restore normal socio-economic life on the continent.
Even then, COVID-19 will be with us for the long term. As we see, for example, with influenza, it is expected to ebb and flow, requiring a response that tracks conditions that will drive future peaks. That way, countries can be ready for them, and minimize the impacts.
Consistent implementation of a broad range of strategies is what will ultimately reduce the spread of the virus, and critical among these are community-based response interventions, including physical distancing, where possible, measures such as wearing of masks, and handwashing.
Other priorities include the decentralization of genomic sequencing capability, and the reinforcement of clinical case management capacity, at all levels of Africa’s health systems.
The work of, for example, the East African Community, the Economic Community of West African States, the Southern African Development Community, and, of course, the African Union, and other partners, has also illustrated the pivotal role of enhanced regional collaboration.
Our estimates are that at least US$15 billion has been invested in the COVID-19 response in the WHO African Region since 2020, from national governments, international partners, in-kind donations and other sectors.
A total US$1.7 billion was allocated to at least 30 countries in the Region by the Global Fund alone, through the COVID-19 Response Mechanism. The World Bank, as of yesterday, has provided more than US$3.3 billion in funding to 36 of our countries for emergency response efforts.
On the ground, the number of intensive care beds in Africa, for example, has increased from just eight per 1 million people two years ago, to 20 today.
WHO’s support to countries has included procuring 8.5 million COVID-19 tests, 433 million vaccines (of course, together with COVAX partners), and boosting laboratory capacity to detect COVID-19, from two to more than 900 laboratories in the past two years.
Going forward, when we move into the next so-called “control phase” of COVID-19, or living with COVID-19, the capacity of countries to reduce and control incidence of infection will be key.
The ability to promptly prevent, diagnose and treat cases is what will mitigate the long-term consequences of future infections.
We also need to maintain the groundswell of political will that we’re now seeing in support of local manufacturing of vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics. Increased access, and affordability, is the only solution to the vaccine inequity witnessed since the start of this pandemic.
I very much look forward to our discussion today. Welcome again to my fellow panelists, and thank you for having joined us, and to our journalist colleagues.