Why is the world puzzling over Africa’s strong response to COVID-19?
In recent weeks, the news has been awash with headlines like “Coronavirus in Africa: Could poverty explain mystery of low death rate?” as journalists struggle to reconcile existing stereotypes of Africa with the continent’s COVID-19 success story. The world had watched with dread, waiting for Africa to fall apart under the stress of COVID cases. And it never happened [1].
News outlets have succeeded in finding some explanations that correspond with the global view of Africa. They have attributed low cases to lower population density, poorly developed infrastructure, and the ubiquity of outdoor work [2]. The hot and humid climate and lower population age of the continent have also been cited [3]. While these may very well be contributing factors, it is notable that many journalists failed to report obvious alternative explanations, in large part because they defy neocolonialist conceptions of Africa.
There are several explanations for Africa’s relative success. Many countries already had existing pandemic response plans because of previous health crises [4]. Government leaders took decisive, aggressive action early in the pandemic, unlike the U.S. and many countries in Europe [5].
Director of Africa CDC Dr. John Nkengasong rejects the idea that low testing is behind the low numbers of cases; there have been no mass unexplained deaths that would support such a theory [5]. Instead, he points to instances of African unity. African public and private sectors created an online purchasing platform to streamline the process of acquiring necessary medical equipment . To ensure that all information related to the pandemic was being properly communicated, the Africa CDC began holding online trainings. African countries are now acting in unison to ensure that vaccines will be available to the population of the entire continent [6].
Of course, it would be overly simplistic to say Africa has excelled at pandemic prevention and there are no issues with any of its countries’ responses. The Ivory Coast and Cameroon are showing some increase in cases, and leaders worry that low case numbers may lead to complacency [3].
News coverage of Africa’s ability to effectively respond to COVID-19 reflects an ongoing view of the continent as a passive victim in need of aid, without adequate policy-making capabilities or agency. This moment is an opportunity for the rest of the world to reflect on and shift its perception of Africa. As the U.S. continues to flounder in its response to the pandemic, it may be time to learn from the leadership and unity of Africa.
Sources
[1] “Africa has defied the covid-19 nightmare scenarios. We shouldn’t be surprised.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/09/22/africa-has-defied-covid-19-nightmare-scenarios-we-shouldnt-be-surprised/
[2] “COVID-19 Less Deadly in Africa”
https://www.cfr.org/blog/covid-19-less-deadly-africa
[3] “Coronavirus: Age and climate seen as behind Africa's low cases”
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-54300855
[4] “3 Reasons African Countries Didn’t Fumble Covid-19 Like America”
https://moguldom.com/307254/3-reasons-african-countries-didnt-fumble-covid-19-like-america/
[5] “Coronavirus: Health chief hails Africa's fight against Covid-19”
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-54248507
[6] “As U.S. struggles, Africa’s COVID-19 response is praised”
https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-ghana-africa-pandemics-donald-trump-0a31db50d816a463a6a29bf86463aaa9