President Cyril Ramaphosa and other members of the African Union Bureau, have resolved to establish regional Coronavirus task forces across all Africa’s five regions to help contain the spread of Coronavirus in the African Continent.
The President said African countries might be forced to ask for debt relief and defered payments on their debts in order to free up financial resources to use to fight the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic.
The decisions, according to Ramaphosa’s letter, issued on Monday Morning, were taken during a teleconference meeting convened by him and those who were part of the meeting included leaders of Egypt, Mali, Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as the Chairperson of the AU Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat.
He said Rwanda, Ethiopia, Senegal and Zimbabwe were included in the call.
Ramaphosa said the regional Coronavirus task forces’s purpose would be to oversee screening, detection and diagnosis; infection prevention and control; clinical management of infected persons; and communication and community engagement.
“While Africa has weak health systems and millions of people live in conditions of poverty, several countries across Africa have wide-ranging and extensive experience in managing infectious disease outbreaks and epidemics. The task forces will put this experience to good effect as we confront the current health emergency,” said Ramaphosa in his letter.
Ramaphosa also conceded that Africa was facing a severe shortage of coronavirus test kits, medicines, face masks and Personal Protection equipments, and the meeting agreed to work with International NGO’s such as WHO and Africa CDC to mobilize international support for Africa to ensure the flow of vital supplies into the continent and to increase local production.
He also said the African Union COVID-19 Response Fund was already established to which AU Bureau members have already committed $12.5 million.
He said the funding of the Africa CDC, derived from the continental health response, will be increased with an additional $4.5 million.
“Africa cannot do this alone. During the virtual summit of G20 leaders late last month, I raised the need for financial and logistical support for Africa’s response. Given the substantial toll this pandemic is already taking on African economies, the assistance that will be needed could run into billions of dollars,” said Ramaphosa.
He said other members of AU bureau have also suggested that a stimulus package be considered for Africa, and amongst, he said it would dent relief in the form of interest payments waivers and deferred payments.
“This would free up much-needed financial resources now that national budgets are being reprioritised to support the coronavirus response,” he said.
