As the number of cases of corona virus infection in Africa increases, countries on this continent have fallen far behind in the global race to get medical equipment. The situation is that 10 countries do not even have ventilators here. African officials are on the cusp of failing to obtain ventilators at a higher price by affluent countries and medical equipment from the US, which provides the most financial support to the African continent.
Indeed, corona virus infection cases in the continent have crossed the 25,000 mark. The United Nations has estimated that 7.4 million test kits and 30,000 ventilators will be needed for the continent's 1.3 billion population. "We are competing with developed countries," said John Nengsong, director of the Center for African Disease Control and Prevention. "The future of this continent will depend on how it is dealt with."
Simon Missiri, Africa director of the Red Cross and Red Crescent International Union Societies, said that leaders of various countries are trying to protect their people and "we know that human behavior sometimes gets very bad." The crisis has led African nations to collectively purchase under the African Union to improve their purchasing power, he created a shared platform. Within a few days of its formation, the African Union asked for one lakh test kits from a German company.
At the same time, the World Health Organization is also contacting manufacturers for supplies. Africa has benefited from the United Nations' largest emergency humanitarian aid campaign in the last several decades. This month a consignment of medical equipment, including hundreds of ventilators, is reaching Ethiopia and will then be sent to different countries of the continent. Another consignment of Jack Ma Foundation of China is still on the way.
Meanwhile, the United Nations said that more than 70 countries have banned the export of medical supplies, creating a crisis situation for Africa. New travel restrictions have also led to the closure of land borders and airports, which has severely affected the supply chain.
"It is like hoarding people's toilet paper," Amer Daudi, senior director (operations) of the United Nations World Food Program, told news agency AP. According to the United Nations, Africa imports 94 percent of its medicinal needs. "The rich countries are behaving irresponsibly," said Amit Thakkar, head of the Africa Healthcare Federation.
