Daily Times

It seemed just like last year, perhaps even more recently, that Africa was confronted with the outbreak of the deadly and highly infectious Ebola virus disease. Well, it happened only in 2014, but we still remember, the scale of deaths, and panic of the citizenry. But the incredible heroism of certain front liners to the commendable efforts of the African governments, braving odds and rising to the very occasion keep the virus in check. That coupled with efforts from stakeholders, the private sector, and international aid organizations, contributed significantly to how the virus was effectively controlled. The world lauded Africa – its proactive and preventive measures. We all remember, very well.

For the time being, it is however not precisely breaking news that Africa, and the world at large, has been hit on the face with the hard punch of another, novel infectious disease, Coronavirus. All the headlines have been devoted entirely to the news about this virus. But more than ever, we must find a critical answer to a big question. And you’re probably not mistaken if you think it is about how Africa, despite having a supposed proud history of dealing with an infectious disease, still can’t boast of containing the pandemic. It seems to appear Africa has not emerged its preparedness enough since the combat of the Ebola virus. It is evident in its response to the current pandemic. Thus, there is an expedient need to shed light on the crucial role of the African governments stemming from the upsurge of future pandemics. If also for anything else, after the dust settles, they need to learn vital lessons to avoid a devastating repeat.

The current pandemic, laden with lessons, has again taught them that the autonomy of their local governments is non-negotiable. And more importantly, there is a need for decentralization of powers (bottom-up approach) – one that has been a long course for concern

The old and popular saying, “prevention is better than cure,” still holds water. And it is one this premise that the African governments need to know that no amount of lockdown, total or partial, during a pandemic can ever replace the critical need for proactive measures. Top of which is putting in place an efficient and functional healthcare system. They have for many years recklessly neglected properly funding to their healthcare system. The current pandemic has revealed that infrastructural health deficit will always come to hunt them. Since the pandemic began, they have run a shelter for additional hospital beds and isolation centers. Also, they have had to greatly suffer from a grossly inadequate number of ventilators. And consequently, they recorded deaths of critically ill patients suffering from the complications of coronavirus due to lack of mechanical ventilation. This is even exacerbated by their hospitals’ unreliable electricity, insufficient equipment to deliver quality healthcare services, and shortage of medical supplies and clinical staff. Hence, the most reasonable outcome from this pandemic to stem the surge of future pandemics is an African improved, well-funded healthcare system. The sun outside is still hot enough to dry their drenched cloth on this. So, this is another door of opportunity to learn the much-needed lesson. The most exciting news related to this post-pandemic crisis is that it is offering them a clean slate for a fresh start.

If there is ever any virus they need to kick out against future pandemics, it will be one of misplaced priority. One that has silently plagued them for many years. One cannot begin to recount the various instances on the canvas of history when the African governments have misplaced one priority over the other. But this current pandemic has yet again, perhaps afresh, averted their consciousness to critical areas to which they have perpetually paid little or no attention. Now, more than ever, it is crystal clear that scientific researches play a huge role in fostering the development of their country. The governments need to heavily invest in infectious disease research and also build state-of-the-art research institutes and laboratories. Besides, adequate resources, both financial and technical, should be offered to local scientists (pathologists, virologists, microbiologists inter alia) to carry out their research and experiments. This will allow them to experience scientific breakthroughs and produce home-grown solutions that will impact the health of the citizens and halt the upsurge of future pandemics. Like in Senegal, where local health experts and laboratory technicians developed critical interventions during the pandemic, which led to creating a $1 testing kit and $100 ventilator, both cost-effective and incredibly necessary resources. It’s high time Africa start diverting their budgetary funds from non-pressing sectors to public health. The African governments must indeed be alive to its defining role of setting priorities right.

The current pandemic, laden with lessons, has again taught them that the autonomy of their local governments is non-negotiable. And more importantly, there is a need for decentralization of powers (bottom-up approach) – one that has been a long course for concern. We have seen that the Federal and State governments cannot handle the affairs of the citizens alone. In times of crisis like this, there has been little, or no development orchestrated from the very center. Whether it is the distribution of palliatives and any other essential materials or localizing measures to address the realities of various communities, it all boils down to the need of an efficient local government to facilitate the processes. It cannot simply be stressed enough that the efficiency and autonomy of the local government authorities, prompted by the African governments, have an essential role to play in how well they contain future pandemics. In the bargain, one cannot think of a country that is a prosperous country with rapid grassroots development without a maximally functioning local government.

Let’s be clear: the truth is, most of the seriously impacted countries by the pandemic in the West have in proper place both relatively resilient healthcare systems, and financial and institutional wherewithal to mitigate its impacts on their citizens. However, Africa, on one hand, and it stands, does not have the required capacity to withstand the brunt should it be the other way around. This is why containing the virus by the African governments, particularly in future pandemics, must be taken more seriously now than ever. They need to have concrete plans in place. The African governments must be able to assure the citizenry that post-pandemic recovery in terms of health, revenue, and socio-economic crisis, will be entirely different from that of the past. And it will be one that places a new social and economic awareness at the heart of every decision and policy-making processes.

Consequently, the African governments must be able to follow through the post-COVID recovery with an effective action plan and implement with an unshakable and unprecedented political determination, charting a new course. They should commit to drawing lessons and start doing things differently – knowing where to reinvent the wheel or not. After the current pandemic, they should be able to point out that we critically learned this, they are adopting that, they are implementing this and that and we are doing away with this and that. It is only then we can safely forge new ways the African governments can effectively play its role in halting the surge of future pandemics.

In conclusion, one cannot but agree that the rules of social distancing and self-isolation are paramount in the flattening curve promoted by the pandemic. These protocols are tested and trusted to have helped curtail the spread of pandemics in previous times like the 1918 Spanish flu. But the measures are often more effective and would be reasonably observed where the governments adequately provide social needs and safety nets to mitigate the potential financial or economic loss to be sustained as a result on the part of the citizens. There is no gainsaying the fact that the lockdown period has been the most difficult for many Africans who require daily toiling to put food on the table for their families.

Most of the countries like the United States and Italy where the virus had ravaged, and lockdowns have been effective, have in place both credible and practical palliatives to help their citizens mitigate some of the resulting economic hardship which may arise as a result of such stay at home order. Even if Africa has the financial wherewithal to provide such, her system or her institutions must be strong enough to ensure its fair and equitable distribution of the food relief items. The African governments need to do much better than the approach of handling cash and food stuff to citizens. But even if they want to do something better, their comatose systems and institutions are an instant let down. An all-encompassing national database is critical for them in halting the upsurge of future pandemics. And it is no longer a question of “if” but “when.” Hopefully, critical lessons would have been learned when the dust of the current pandemic is settled. It is indeed a learning curve for them.

The writer is a Journalist at Fox News Digital