Africa in the midst of a COVID-19 third wave, says WHO

As Africa battles the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) reports a 28% increase in cases in the past week, raising concerns about the continent's ability to control the spread of the virus. Dr. Thierno Balde, Program Manager for Operational Partnerships at the WHO in Africa, highlighted that the surge in cases is being driven by five countries, including South Africa, Tunisia, Zambia, Uganda, and Namibia. However, the rest of the continent is also seeing a rise in infections, particularly in regions like Central Africa, South Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and parts of West Africa. The situation is alarming as the healthcare systems in many African countries are already struggling to cope with the influx of patients. Dr. Balde emphasized the urgent need for more vaccines to control the spread of the virus and protect the population. Despite the global vaccine rollout, nearly 85% of all doses have been administered in high-income and upper-middle-income countries, leaving Africa with only one percent of the total vaccines. This stark contrast underscores the issue of vaccine inequity, where rich countries have significantly higher vaccination rates compared to African nations. While efforts are being made to accelerate vaccine procurement and distribution in Africa, challenges such as logistics, convincing the population to get vaccinated, and limited vaccine supply continue to hinder progress. Dr. Balde expressed the hope that vaccination rates will increase in the coming months, with a target to vaccinate 10% of the African population by September. However, only seven countries are currently on track to meet this goal, highlighting the need for more support from wealthier nations to ensure a fair and equitable distribution of vaccines worldwide.