Olayinka O Ogunleye1,2, Debashis Basu3,4, Debjani Mueller5, Jacqueline Sneddon6, R Andrew Seaton6,7,8, Adesola F Yinka-Ogunleye9, Joshua Wamboga10, Nenad Miljković11, Julius C Mwita12, Godfrey Mutashambara Rwegerera13, Amos Massele14, Okwen Patrick15,16, Loveline Lum Niba15,17, Melaine Nsaikila15, Wafaa M Rashed18, Mohamed Ali Hussein18, Rehab Hegazy19, Adefolarin A Amu20, Baffour Boaten Boahen-Boaten21, Zinhle Matsebula22, Prudence Gwebu22, Bongani Chirigo22, Nongabisa Mkhabela22, Tenelisiwe Dlamini22, Siphiwe Sithole22, Sandile Malaza22, Sikhumbuzo Dlamini22, Daniel Afriyie23, George Awuku Asare24, Seth Kwabena Amponsah25, Israel Sefah26,27, Margaret Oluka28, Anastasia N Guantai28, Sylvia A Opanga29, Tebello Violet Sarele30, Refeletse Keabetsoe Mafisa31, Ibrahim Chikowe32, Felix Khuluza32, Dan Kibuule33, Francis Kalemeera33, Mwangana Mubita33, Joseph Fadare34,35, Laurien Sibomana36, Gwendoline Malegwale Ramokgopa3,4, Carmen Whyte3,4, Tshegofatso Maimela3,4, Johannes Hugo4,37, Johanna C Meyer38, Natalie Schellack38, Enos M Rampamba38,39, Adel Visser40, Abubakr Alfadl41,42, Elfatih M Malik43,44, Oliver Ombeva Malande45,46, Aubrey C Kalungia47, Chiluba Mwila47, Trust Zaranyika48, Blessmore Vimbai Chaibva49, Ioana D Olaru50,51, Nyasha Masuka52, Janney Wale53, Lenias Hwenda54, Regina Kamoga10,55, Ruaraidh Hill56, Corrado Barbui57, Tomasz Bochenek58, Amanj Kurdi59,60, Stephen Campbell61,62, Antony P Martin63,64, Thuy Nguyen Thi Phuong65, Binh Nguyen Thanh65, Brian Godman38,59,66,67. 1. Department of Pharmacology, Therapeutics and Toxicology, Lagos State University College of Medicine, Lagos, Nigeria. 2. Department of Medicine, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria. 3. Department of Public Health Medicine, Steve Biko Academic Hospital and the University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa. 4. WHO Collaborating Centre for Social Determinants of Health and Health in all Policies, Pretoria, South Africa. 5. Charlotte Maxeke Medical Research Cluster, Johannesburg, South Africa. 6. Healthcare Improvement Scotland, Glasgow, United Kingdom. 7. Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow, United Kingdom. 8. University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom. 9. Department of Surveillance and Epidemiology, Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, Abuja, Nigeria. 10. Uganda Alliance of Patients' Organizations (UAPO), Kampala, Uganda. 11. Institute of Orthopaedic Surgery "Banjica", University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia. 12. Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana. 13. Department of Internal Medicine, University of Botswana and Department of Medicine, Princess Marina Hospital, Gaborone, Botswana. 14. Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana. 15. Effective Basic Services (eBASE) Africa, Bamenda, Cameroon. 16. Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Adelaide University, Adelaide, SA, Australia. 17. Department of Public Health, University of Bamenda, Bambili, Cameroon. 18. Children's Cancer Hospital, Cairo, Egypt. 19. Pharmacology Department, Medical Division, National Research Centre, Giza, Egypt. 20. Pharmacy Department, Eswatini Medical Christian University, Mbabane, Eswatini. 21. Department of Psychology, Eswatini Medical Christian University, Mbabane, Eswatini. 22. Raleigh Fitkin Memorial Hospital, Manzini, Eswatini. 23. Pharmacy Department, Ghana Police Hospital, Accra, Ghana. 24. Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, School of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana. 25. Department of Medical Pharmacology, University of Ghana Medical School, Accra, Ghana. 26. Ghana Health Service, Pharmacy Department, Keta Municipal Hospital, Keta-Dzelukope, Ghana. 27. Pharmacy Practice Department, School of Pharmacy, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Hohoe, Ghana. 28. Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya. 29. Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmacy Practice, School of Pharmacy, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya. 30. Discipline of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville-campus, Durban, South Africa. 31. Independent Researcher, Mafeteng, Lesotho. 32. Pharmacy Department, College of Medicine, University of Malawi, Blantyre, Malawi. 33. Department of Pharmacy Practice and Policy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Namibia, Windhoek, Namibia. 34. Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Ekiti State University , Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria. 35. Department of Medicine, Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria. 36. Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States. 37. Department of Family Medicine, Steve Biko Academic Hospital and University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa. 38. School of Pharmacy, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria, South Africa. 39. Department of Pharmacy, Tshilidzini Hospital, Shayandima, South Africa. 40. Eugene Marais Hospital, Pretoria, South Africa. 41. National Medicines Board, Federal Ministry of Health, Khartoum, Sudan. 42. Unaizah College of Pharmacy, Qassim University, Qassim, Saudi Arabia. 43. Faculty of Medicine, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan. 44. Community Medicine Council, SMSB, Khartoum, Sudan. 45. Department of Child Health and Paediatrics, Egerton University, Nakuru, Kenya. 46. East Africa Centre for Vaccines and Immunization (ECAVI), Kampala, Uganda. 47. Department of Pharmacy, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia. 48. Department of Medicine, University of Zimbabwe College of Health Sciences, Harare, Zimbabwe. 49. Ministry of Health and Child Care, Harare, Zimbabwe. 50. London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom. 51. Biomedical Research and Training Institute, Harare, Zimbabwe. 52. Zimbabwe College of Public Health Physicians, Harare, Zimbabwe. 53. Independent Consumer Advocate, Brunswick, VIC, Australia. 54. Medicines for Africa, Johannesburg, South Africa. 55. Community Health and Information Network (CHAIN), Kampala, Uganda. 56. Liverpool Reviews and Implementation Group, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom. 57. WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Mental Health and Service Evaluation, Section of Psychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy. 58. Department of Nutrition and Drug Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland. 59. Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom. 60. Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Hawler Medical University, Erbil, Iraq. 61. Centre for Primary Care, Division of Population Health, Health Services Research and Primary Care, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom. 62. NIHR Greater Manchester Patient Safety Translational Research Centre, School of Health Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom. 63. Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom. 64. HCD Economics, The Innovation Centre, Daresbury, United Kingdom. 65. Pharmaceutical Administration & PharmacoEconomics, Hanoi University of Pharmacy, Hanoi, Vietnam. 66. Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Karolinska Institute, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden. 67. School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has already claimed considerable lives. There are major concerns in Africa due to existing high prevalence rates for both infectious and non-infectious diseases and limited resources in terms of personnel, beds and equipment. Alongside this, concerns that lockdown and other measures will have on prevention and management of other infectious diseases and non-communicable diseases (NCDs). NCDs are an increasing issue with rising morbidity and mortality rates. The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that a lack of nets and treatment could result in up to 18 million additional cases of malaria and up to 30,000 additional deaths in sub-Saharan Africa. OBJECTIVE: Document current prevalence and mortality rates from COVID-19 alongside economic and other measures to reduce its spread and impact across Africa. In addition, suggested ways forward among all key stakeholder groups. OUR APPROACH: Contextualise the findings from a wide range of publications including internet-based publications coupled with input from senior-level personnel. ONGOING ACTIVITIES: Prevalence and mortality rates are currently lower in Africa than among several Western countries and the USA. This could be due to a number of factors including early instigation of lockdown and border closures, the younger age of the population, lack of robust reporting systems and as yet unidentified genetic and other factors. Innovation is accelerating to address concerns with available equipment. There are ongoing steps to address the level of misinformation and its consequences including fines. There are also ongoing initiatives across Africa to start addressing the unintended consequences of COVID-19 activities including lockdown measures and their impact on NCDs including the likely rise in mental health disorders, exacerbated by increasing stigma associated with COVID-19. Strategies include extending prescription lengths, telemedicine and encouraging vaccination. However, these need to be accelerated to prevent increased morbidity and mortality. CONCLUSION: There are multiple activities across Africa to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and address misinformation, which can have catastrophic consequences, assisted by the WHO and others, which appear to be working in a number of countries. Research is ongoing to clarify the unintended consequences given ongoing concerns to guide future activities. Countries are learning from each other.
BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has already claimed considerable lives. There are major concerns in Africa due to existing high prevalence rates for both infectious and non-infectious diseases and limited resources in terms of personnel, beds and equipment. Alongside this, concerns that lockdown and other measures will have on prevention and management of other infectious diseases and non-communicable diseases (NCDs). NCDs are an increasing issue with rising morbidity and mortality rates. The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that a lack of nets and treatment could result in up to 18 million additional cases of malaria and up to 30,000 additional deaths in sub-Saharan Africa. OBJECTIVE: Document current prevalence and mortality rates from COVID-19 alongside economic and other measures to reduce its spread and impact across Africa. In addition, suggested ways forward among all key stakeholder groups. OUR APPROACH: Contextualise the findings from a wide range of publications including internet-based publications coupled with input from senior-level personnel. ONGOING ACTIVITIES: Prevalence and mortality rates are currently lower in Africa than among several Western countries and the USA. This could be due to a number of factors including early instigation of lockdown and border closures, the younger age of the population, lack of robust reporting systems and as yet unidentified genetic and other factors. Innovation is accelerating to address concerns with available equipment. There are ongoing steps to address the level of misinformation and its consequences including fines. There are also ongoing initiatives across Africa to start addressing the unintended consequences of COVID-19 activities including lockdown measures and their impact on NCDs including the likely rise in mental health disorders, exacerbated by increasing stigma associated with COVID-19. Strategies include extending prescription lengths, telemedicine and encouraging vaccination. However, these need to be accelerated to prevent increased morbidity and mortality. CONCLUSION: There are multiple activities across Africa to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and address misinformation, which can have catastrophic consequences, assisted by the WHO and others, which appear to be working in a number of countries. Research is ongoing to clarify the unintended consequences given ongoing concerns to guide future activities. Countries are learning from each other.
Authors: Anthony C Liwa; Luke R Smart; Amara Frumkin; Helen-Ann B Epstein; Daniel W Fitzgerald; Robert N Peck Journal: Curr Hypertens Rep Date: 2014-06 Impact factor: 5.369
Authors: Brian Godman; Rickard E Malmström; Eduardo Diogene; Andy Gray; Sisira Jayathissa; Angela Timoney; Francisco Acurcio; Ali Alkan; Anna Brzezinska; Anna Bucsics; Stephen M Campbell; Jadwiga Czeczot; Winnie de Bruyn; Irene Eriksson; Faridah Aryani Md Yusof; Alexander E Finlayson; Jurij Fürst; Kristina Garuoliene; Augusto Guerra Júnior; Jolanta Gulbinovič; Saira Jan; Roberta Joppi; Marija Kalaba; Einar Magnisson; Laura McCullagh; Kaisa Miikkulainen; Gabriela Ofierska-Sujkowska; Hanne Bak Pedersen; Gisbert Selke; Catherine Sermet; Susan Spillane; Azuwana Supian; Ilse Truter; Vera Vlahović-Palčevski; Low Ee Vien; Elif H Vural; Janet Wale; Magdałene Władysiuk; Wenjie Zeng; Lars L Gustafsson Journal: Expert Rev Clin Pharmacol Date: 2015-01 Impact factor: 5.045
Authors: Angela Acosta; Egdda Patricia Vanegas; Joan Rovira; Brian Godman; Tomasz Bochenek Journal: Front Pharmacol Date: 2019-07-19 Impact factor: 5.810
Authors: Ishtiaq Ahmad; Gaku Masuda; Sugishita Tomohiko; Chaudhry Ahmed Shabbir Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-05-15 Impact factor: 4.614