The disproportionate burden of COVID-19 in Africa

In the early days of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, there were some claims that the burden of COVID-19 in Africa will be so high as to disrupt the nations’ health systems which hitherto has infrastructural and manpower challenges. The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa predicted that Africa could have nearly 123 million cases of COVID-19 in 2020 and that 300,000 people may die of the disease. However, this has not been so. Some of the interventions by various African governments to contain the viral scourge was to introduce a policy of “lockdown” and restrict international travels. There is no known cure yet for COVID-19 scourge, but many supportive therapies have been tried including antivirals, steroids, vitamins, and local herbs, such as the Madagascar “wonder” Artemisia extract called “COVID-Organics,” for the treatment of COVID-19 infection. However, research efforts are still on for the development of a suitable vaccine. Some of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa are the economic and developmental challenges, occasioned by the international travel restriction and lockdown policies. The pathophysiology and treatment options for the COVID-19 are still evolving, while the whole world awaits for the development of a suitable vaccine.