Tedros Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organisation (WHO), says Africa is the only region that developed a unified strategy on COVID-19.
Speaking on Saturday at the emergency virtual meeting of African ministers of health, the WHO boss said the unified strategy has produced positive results.
He said although the continent has been affected by the pandemic, it is not as bad as other regions.
“Africa is the only region to have developed a unified continental strategy on COVID-19. And that strategy has delivered results. And I would like to thank his excellency, President Ramaphosa, and excellency Moussa Faki Mahamat for their leadership and to all ministers who participated in the first meeting and pushed on since then, and also to excellency President Tshisekedi,” he said.
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“Although our continent has suffered, we have not yet seen the same scale of devastation in Africa as we have in some other regions.”
The WHO DG noted that there has been a decline in COVID-19 cases and deaths in Africa since January, but warned that countries must not let their guard down.
“We have seen an encouraging decline in cases and deaths since the peak in mid-January. However, several countries in the continent continue to report sustained transmission and increases in some areas. It is critical that none of us are complacent,” he said.
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“What is happening now in many other parts of the world can happen in our Africa if we let down our guard.”
Commenting on the COVID-19 vaccine distribution, the DG said so far, Africa has administered 19.6 million doses, which translates to 2 percent of the global total.
“WHO is working day in and day out to urgently increase the production and equitable distribution of vaccines, with countries, companies and partners, including the African Vaccine Acquisition Task Team and the Partnership for African Vaccine Manufacturing,” he added.
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