Pandémie à Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Coranovirus-2 (SARS-COV-2) en Afrique sub-saharienne : Quelles solutions innovantes pour contenir la propagation ? Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Coranovirus-2 (SARS-COV-2) pandemic in sub-Saharan Africa: What innovative solutions to contain the propagation?
Year: 2021
Type: article
Abstract: Since the dawn of time, epidemics have sometimes invaded large areas of the world, decimating entire populations; and this fact has been occurring even before the concept of globalization took on the scale we know nowadays. Millions of people lost their lives, as was the case of the “black plague” which occurred between 1347 and 1352, and the Spanish flu between 1918 and 1919. The COVID-19 pandemic that has started in its first outbreak in the city of Wuhan, China in December 2019, is very peculiar in terms of its contagious nature and the severity of clinical manifestations in vulnerable individuals, with a mortality rate that challenges even the most efficient healthcare systems with well-equipped hospitals in the world. Of course, the whole world has been so overwhelmed by the propagation of this new disease that containment measures taken at individual, community and national levels seem to have been taken too late. Anyway, we had no choice but just trying to limit the human and socioeconomic impacts, as well as the adverse effects which will certainly last beyond the end of the pandemic. Africa was affected a few weeks after other continents; thus, African countries should have learned from both positive and negative experiences of other countries and continents in order to better cope with this infectious threat. The most pessimistic or the most macabre predictions are often made for sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). To date, the scale of the COVID-19 epidemic on the African continent is visibly of less importance, compared to what is observed elsewhere, which does not suggest the way the pandemic is going to evolve in the next days or weeks. This is where the preventive measures advocated overseas deserve to be adopted by means of a “textualization” which must make them acceptable and applicable. Indeed, the “copy-paste” of these measures which demonstrate their effectiveness in Asian and Western countries is often not possible for cultural and economic reasons. And yet prevention remains the best weapon against this corona virus infection. So what confinement? What barriers and social distancing measures? What communication to use for the adoption of behaviors likely to protect individuals and communities? In other words, what prevention in a context of extreme poverty, combined with insufficiency of basic social services in terms of water and electricity supply and means of communication (dilapidated and poor roads, difficulty to have access to new information technologies including internet …). How to make people accept effective preventive measures amidst poor sanitation, poverty, cultural and faith-based obstacles … And this without procrastination which can only be fatal for communities already affected by malaria and other endemics even recognized as “neglected diseases” by the international community. Our thinking is based on the main prevention measures recommended throughout the world in regard to the current COVID-19 pandemic, and observation of their effective application in the community after the official proclamation of those measures in Kinshasa, the capital city of the Democratic republic of the Congo (DRC). A particular attention is paid to the various messages to raise awareness among the populations and the dissemination by the political and health authorities of information on the pandemic via public media and social networks. We have observed the reactions of people in terms of acceptance or refusal to apply the measures that are propagated through both written and audio-visual media. Considering these observations, we can then suggest locale but effective solutions for realistic preventive approach. Considering the socio-economic status of the populations, overcrowding in cities and especially the common faith in miraculous cure in our society, we hereby suggest a number of recommendations for the success of preventive measures against COVID-19 in SSA: Increase awareness among populations of the danger of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, by means of adapted messages which are given to community leaders who are truly trusted and influential. It is time for church leaders, traditional leaders, traditional healers and all those who have a voice to take the lead and pass on awareness messages to their respective communities. Provide basic needs of the population, supplying food items in a spirit of volunteerism by even using state resources and military support. During this time, it is necessary to pay decent salaries and bonuses to workers from all sectors to allow households acquire basic needs and secure autonomy during the lockdown period. Ensure regular supply of water and electric power, and free access to masks for underprivileged populations while making their use compulsory. Ensure that residents visit markets and other places to purchase goods in their respective districts or communes only at daytime. The creation of public canteens for selling food and non-alcoholic beverages at low cost should be encouraged. This has the advantage of reducing contact between people. If necessary, requisition state vehicles belonging to public and cooperative partner agencies for the mobility of hospital staff and policemen. A lockdown should be declared to limit people’s movement and allow them to rest at home during night time as long as necessary for the security and peace of mind. To cope with the closure of schools and universities, distance learning should be encouraged by facilitating access to the internet and the acquisition of lap-tops or even android mobile phones by school children and students. In the media, we should avoid talking only about sensational news regarding COVID-19, as if success no longer existed even in the epidemiological field. We should not follow the media that repeatedly talk about what psychologically traumatizes people. It is not a question here of trivializing the health crisis but one will make barrage with the one and the others in bad popularity to be made visible under pretext to act finally for the poor population. Denounce certain messages that fuel collective psychosis in social networks and, above all, the respect of confidentiality of medical information, even after the death of patients. Train and provide safety equipment to medical staff and encourage healthcare workers at the frontline of the COVID-19 crisis who are more exposed while continuing to serve. To talk about the treatment that remains uncertain in this area of viral diseases, while adopting well-documented treatment regimens that have proven to be effective elsewhere, researchers should be encouraged to draw on the African pharmacopoeia which presumably contains resources that are likely to contribute to solving this global challenge. The use of traditional African medicine should not, however, open a breach for charlatans of all stripes by imposing strict compliance with the rules in this area. Universities and other research institutions should contribute with technological innovations, particularly in the design and development of medical devices and equipment to improve patients care and, even in producing COVID-19 prevention tools. Since the dawn of time epidemics have occasionally invaded large areas of the world, decimating entire populations, and this even before the concept of globalization took on the scale we have known in recent decades. The deaths were sometimes counted by millions of people as was the case with the black plague which ranged from 1,347 to 1,352 or the Spanish flu from 1918 to 1919. The COVID-19 pandemic that appeared in its first outbreak in Wuhan, China is very particular in terms of its contagiousness and the seriousness of the clinical picture in fragile people, with a mortality rate challenging even the most efficient health systems with the most hospitals equipped with the world. No doubt surprised by the great contagiousness of this new pathology, the whole world is taken aback so that the national and individual containment measures seem to have been taken too late, in any case we have come to resign ourselves to limiting the human, social and economic damage, the harmful effects of which will certainly last beyond the end of the pandemic. Africa was affected a few weeks after the other continents; which should allow the countries of the continent to benefit from both positive and negative experiences from other countries and continents to better cope with this infectious danger. The most pessimistic if not the most macabre forecasts are regularly made for sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). To date, the scale of the epidemic on the African continent is visibly of less importance, compared to what is observed elsewhere; which does not suggest the evolution of the pandemic in the next days or weeks. This is where the prevention measures advocated elsewhere deserve to be adopted by means of a “textualization” which must make them acceptable and applicable. Indeed, the “copy-pasted” of these measures which demonstrate their effectiveness in Asian and Western countries is often not possible for cultural and economic reasons. And yet prevention remains the best weapon against this corona virus infection. So what confinement? What barriers and social distancing measures? What communication for the adoption of consistent behavior likely to protect individuals and communities? In other words, what prevention in a context of poverty of people, lack / weakness of basic social services in terms of water and electricity supply, see means of communication (dilapidated and deficit urban roads, access to new information technologies / internet …). How to make people accept (make themselves appropriate) effective preventive measures, despite insalubrity, poverty, cultural and religious burdens … And this without procrastination which can only be fatal for communities already affected by malaria and other endemics sometimes even recognized as “neglected diseases” by the internationa
Source: Annales Africaines de Medecine
Author: Mampunza-ma-Miezi, Samuel
Language: English
Subfield: Modeling and Simulation
Field: Mathematics
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7220486569