Neil on Africa: Africa’s challenges expose us more to the virus

JOHANNESBURG – Over the past few weeks African governments have been holding on tight and asking themselves hard questions concerning the effects of the spread of the virus into Africa.

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has stated that the worry was not about the ability of China to manage the virus, but the effects on the countries with poor health systems.

Today African governments are forced to look at the decisions they have made previously in addressing public service offerings, whereas citizens are getting comfort from having the same health facility at their disposal as the government officials.

African political leaders have over the past long while been travelling to Malaysia, China, India and other countries to get special medical assistance. And now that the global lockdown is active, they get to face the music with exposure to the same quality health infrastructure as their citizens.

As of Monday, March 16, the countries most affected in Africa with Covid-19 included Egypt, with 126 confirmed cases and two deaths; South Africa with 116 infected and rising, but no deaths; Algeria with 48 infected, no deaths.