COVID-19 in Africa: New opportunities created.

Dear Editor,

COVID-19 pandemic has had devastating consequences on the African continent in terms of morbidity, mortality, and economic effects [1]. However, it has created new opportunities in Africa.

Opportunities created by COVID-19 in Africa

The advent of COVID-19 in Africa has been regarded as an opportunity for African countries to exhibit and reveal their hidden potential [2]. Indeed, many African countries have come up with different strategies to control the virus in an effort to curb the pandemic. Some of these strategies are aimed at factors that have always been in existence but were enhanced by the coronavirus pandemic.

Technological innovations

COVID-19 has led to an increase in technological innovations in Africa. With the advent of COVID-19, Kiira, a Ugandan automotive making company, in collaboration with the University of Makerere School of Public Health, are in the process of developing affordable ventilators for COVID-19 patients which will still be useful beyond the era of COVID-19 [3]. In Senegal, they have developed rapid COVID-19 diagnostic tests that are cost-effective [4] while in Zimbabwe and Kenya they have started the production of medical supplies like face masks and gloves for the prevention of COVID-19 transmission [5], [6]. Such innovations are not only beneficial in the fight against COVID-19, but they have also promoted a sense of innovation and self-reliance among Africans, a sentiment that will sustain the continent for years to come. For example, in South Africa, mobile testing units were used in order to curb the movement of people who have been infected by COVID-19 [7]. After the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, these mobile units will continue to serve communities in different capacities. Smart technologies such as E-learning in Benin, which allows online teaching using free internet provided by the government [8] and applications such as Zoom, Microsoft teams and Google classroom will also provide easier learning post-COVID-19 where students do not necessarily have to be in the classroom to learn. In addition, COVID-19 has resulted in increased investment in public health systems; which will be beneficial beyond the era of the pandemic.

Increased gender-based violence and child abuse awareness and intervention strategies

Although the quarantine of people infected with COVID-19 is an important component of controlling the spread, it has unfortunately also resulted in devastating social consequences. One such consequence is the alarming increase in gender-based violence (GBV). GBV is exacerbated as most places that offer psychological support groups are not functional during the pandemic, leaving victims stranded with their abusers. In Africa, previous experience with the Ebola outbreak has shown that incidences of GBV increase during pandemics. For instance, the incidence of sexual assault and violence against women increased during the Ebola era [9]. Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) has also been on the rise in Africa since the onset of COVID-19 [10]. GBV can cause a lot of psychological consequences to those at the receiving end of the abuse. COVID-19 has massively highlighted the problem of GBV and has led to increased awareness and an increase in initiatives aimed at eradicating this social ill in Africa. In Ethiopia, after the occurrence of COVID-19, religious leaders have taken a central role in the dissemination of messages on the prevention of sexual and domestic abuse while the government of Tanzania, in collaboration with UN Women, has intensified the screening of children and women for sexual abuse in reported cases of COVID-19. In Madagascar, a plan, called the Social Emergency Plan, has been brought into effect to benefit people such as sex workers and street merchants. The government of Cameroon conducted a survey that assessed the impact of COVID-19 with an emphasis on GBV. All these efforts by African governments will be in operation even post COVID-19, serving as important tools against GBV.

Increased mental health awareness and intervention strategies

Lack of physical and social interactions can cause mental health issues. COVID-19 restrictions have resulted in mental health issues. However, due to these restrictions and the existing shortage of mental health infrastructure and services in Africa, mental health patients cannot get in-person help. This has promoted the exploration of other avenues to tackle mental health problems in Africa. Telemedicine, which involves the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of patients with physical contact, has been given more attention in Africa because of COVID-19. Telemedicine, therefore, allows digital consultations for mental health patients during COVID-19 where they can receive counselling irrespective of where they are on the continent. Social media platforms have also become a hub for telemedicine. The increased popularity of telemedicine amidst COVID-19 can fill the mental health services gap not just in the current COVID-19 but for future generations as well. Telemedicine may be a more effective strategy relative to in-person help since there are inadequate numbers of mental health experts in Africa. African countries can outsource mental health experts from other countries around the world without having them come to Africa. There has also been an emergence of non-profit mental health online platforms in Africa. The MEGA project of South Africa and MindIT of Ghana are examples of such start-up initiatives aimed at providing virtual mental health consultations free of charge.

COVID-19 has brought certain burdens on the African continent. These include reduced economic activity [1], loss of employment and an increase in social issues such as GBV and mental health problems. These burdens have also brought opportunities to Africans such as a space for technological innovations and an increase in awareness and intervention measures against the mentioned social ills (Table 1 ). Despite these opportunities, the primary objective of African governments should remain the intensification of COVID-19 testing as well as the increased roll-out of vaccination especially for people in the rural and sub-urban corners of the continent. African governments are steadfast in ensuring that the COVID-19 pandemic is controlled in order to limit mortality. However, there is a need for more government investments in infrastructure and funding for research. Overall, the economy, research, funding of health facilities and innovations are crucial in ensuring that the health of people from Africa is improved both during COVID-19 and any other pandemic.

Table 1

New opportunities in the midst of COVID-19 in Africa.

Opportunities

-COVID-19 has enabled innovations such as the manufacturing of ventilators, PPE, and diagnostic tests-Products such as ventilators and PPE will be needed even beyond the COVID-19 pandemic-Import of ventilators and PPE will seize, saving African countries money and promoting local employment-COVID-19 has increased awareness and action against gender-based violence (GBV)-Religious leaders are now involved in spreading the anti-GBV message-Some African countries screen female COVID-19 patients for sexual and physical abuse as well-There has been an increase of GBV studies in Africa since the COVID-19 pandemic-COVID-19 has increased awareness and action against mental health issues-Telemedicine has been gaining popularity in Africa since the COVID-19 pandemic-Mental health patients get counselling from experts outside Africa due to telemedicine-COVID-19 has led to an increase in non-profit online mental health assistance platforms-COVID-19 has led to an increase in smart teaching and learning technologies such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Classroom

Funding

The authors did not receive specific funding for this research.

Disclosure of interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interest.

CRediT authorship contribution statement GG and CCO conceived the idea, GG wrote the first draft and CCO revised the draft. All authors approved the final version of the letter.