By HealthDaily Reporter
AFRICA Centres for Disease Control (Africa CDC) has issued a raft of measures for its member statements to follow when loosening up COVID-19 lockdown rules in a publication released on May 31.
These considerations for easing public health and social measures (PHSM) including lockdown in African countries come when the continent as of Sunday morning had 141 535 confirmed cases.
Concerned with slowing down COVID-19 transmission, Africa CDC noted that PHSM are critical.
The Dr John Nkengasong led organisation also stated that sustained PHSM can be detrimental to routine medical and public health services, social and mental health and the economy. The organisation advised its member states that restrictions should be eased slowly in a step-wise approach and monitored continuously.
When easing the PHSM, Africa CDC said certain issues should be in place.
“A capacity for widespread testing and the ability to rapidly detect a resurgence of cases, to identify, isolate and care for those infected, and to trace contacts should be in place before any easing of restrictions.
“A healthcare system able to absorb an extra patient load is also important. Africa CDC’s Partnership to Accelerate COVID-19 Testing (PACT)
Initiative aims to increase continental case finding, testing and isolation/treatment efforts to reduce C OVID-19 transmission in Africa. This initiative should be leveraged by Member States to ensure these capacities are in place prior to lifting PHSM,” said the organisation.
Africa CDC noted how the delivery of routine medical and public health services has been
severely interrupted in many countries because of COVID-19.
The reasons as discovered by Africa CDC for these disruptions are multiple but, “include population
reluctance to seek services because of fear of getting COVID-19, mandatory stay-at-home orders, healthcare systems overburdened by caring for COVID-19 patients, fear of healthcare workers, and diversion of human and other resources from routine services to deal with COVID-19.”
Africa CDC stated that economic disruption associated with the pandemic and related mitigation measures has exacerbated pre-existing wealth disparities on the continent.
“Day laborers and people working in
the informal economy do not have jobs that allow them to work from home or the resources to remain without income for extended periods of time.
“A conservative forecast by the International Monetary Fund
predicts an increase in extreme poverty this year of 84 to 132 million
people, with 40–50% of the increase in Africa. The choice between protecting livelihood and protecting life is a false one for people living at poverty level; loss of income itself will result in an increase in mortality due to deterioration in nutritional status and diminished access to care and other necessities. The global economic impact will likely be long-lasting,” said the organisation.
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