COVID 19- AU calls emergency meeting of Health Ministers

• Officials are worried that an India-like crisis could hit Africa’s health systems and called for urgent action to avoid such a severe health crisis.
• Already Africa is in the middle of vaccine supplies crisis .
• On May 8, the African Union has called for an emergency meeting with the health ministers of its 55-member states to discuss possible next steps.

 COVID 19 second wave in India gets CDC officials tense about Africa. Officials are worried that an India-like crisis could hit Africa’s health systems and called for urgent action to avoid such a severe health crisis. Already Africa is in the middle of a vaccine supplies crisis.An India-like situation of oxygen and medicine shortages, it is feared, can cripple Africa’s fragile health system. On May 8, the African Union has called for an emergency meeting with the health ministers of its 55-member states to discuss possible next steps.

Addressing a press conference, the head of the Africa CDC John Nkengasong has warned that What is happening in India cannot be ignored by the continent . He reminded that the continent has neither oxygen nor health care workers to tackle a crisis like that. He cautioned against large gatherings such as political rallies as there’s a high risk that the coronavirus could quickly spread and lead to a wave of new infections. The World Health Organization (WHO) warned that the situation in Africa could soon worsen

In nearly half the countries on the African continent and advised the public to follow health guidelines like wearing masks strictly.

The COVID 19 spike in India has had a direct impact on Africa’s battle on the pandemic. India’s Serum Institute is the main source of coronavirus vaccines that are being distributed under the international COVAX program to get shots to low-income countries. As the crisis in India perpetuated, the Indian government has implemented an export ban on vaccines which will mean delays in vaccination of Africa’s population for weeks.

 Like India, Africa adopted strict measures to curb the Pandemic in the initial phase. The continent accounting for 3.1% of global cases and around 4% of global deaths so far has created a sense of complacency which experts say could be fatal .