Covid-19 pandemic: what opportunities can Africa exploit?

The Coronavirus which was once a Wuhan/China challenge has found its way across the globe virtually touching all aspects of life in every nation irrespective of their level of economic, social and political development. Even for the hitherto robust strong health systems in western economies; have been tested, stressed and found wanting. There has been a form of ‘Arms Race” where countries are bidding against and pricing out each other to ensure they procure medical equipment and supplies to address their dire needs. In the USA and other western countries; emergency hospitals and sometimes ‘makeshift’ treatment centers have been erected in record time, and medical personnel being recalled from retirement to contain the virus and its damage on human life. Other countries have used their constitutional prerogatives to require some companies to reconfigure their production lines to produce urgently required medical supplies.

As the COVID-19 cases rise, the numbers that need intensive monitoring even rise further putting a great strain on healthcare systems. As the virus compromises a patient’s respiratory system, a well facilitated Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is a must, if an individual’s life is to be saved. A fully functional ICU requires a specialized medical team, requisite diagnostic equipment, monitors, ventilators, oxygen, protective gears (gloves, gowns), drugs and beds among others. This is the bare minimum for the healing process to start.

African countries have not been spared either. While the numbers are not as high as the ones in western countries, model projections paint a gloomy picture ahead. Up until now, many African countries had not prioritized investment in healthcare systems and this should worry us a great deal. Most African leaders and some elite seek medical care from Western and Asian countries, this trend had recently escalated with the rise in non-communicable diseases. Africa spends over USD 1 billion every year on medical tourism in other continents, to the extent that some medical facilities abroad have brokers in African medical centers that link them up with patients. Those close to government have had the opportunity to be funded by governments, others have used “harambe” fund raising arrangements if they have enough political/social networks, and others have sold off family property to the extent of being impoverished.  These are costs associated with sub-optimal investment in national healthcare systems, coupled with sheer corruption and theft of resources that would otherwise improve the system.

With the current COVID-19 crisis, and the consequent lockdowns across countries, individuals cannot travel in and out of countries. Even for those that would have the capacity to seek medical care abroad cannot do so anymore under the circumstances. They have been forced by circumstance to use local health systems, no matter what quality of healthcare is available. Even for COVID-19, the preparedness of African healthcare systems is wanting. The President of Uganda who has provided commendable leadership in the fight against COVID-19, in one of his addresses, noted for example that only 10% of the required personal protective equipment was available, signifying that a lot needed to be urgently done to ready the Ugandan system in case the numbers significantly surged up. This honest but gloomy revelation may not be different for many African countries.

Africa imports most of these basic health supplies, medicines and equipment. Unfortunately, the countries where we import from, now need these items and are not prepared to let go of what they manufacture.

This is where Africa could have an opportunity to exploit. For example with the cotton exported to China and Western countries; must Africa wait for donations from China or Europe in form of medical protective gear, gowns, masks, shoes, blankets and bed-sheets ? Countries like Sudan, Mauritius, Uganda, South Africa and Zambia grow sugarcane, which can be used to make ethanol, the main ingredient used in making sanitizers which are now required in all hospitals and public places. Recently, most European pharmacies and stores had run out of sanitizers, they are prepared to import. Also, out of sugarcane bagasse we can manufacture paper or even medical masks.

Yes, COVID-19 will indeed have many losers; but depending on how Africa positions herself, COVID-19 provides an opportunity to stimulate and restructure the manufacturing sector within the context of production of medicines, medical supplies and equipment. Nyanza Textile Industries (NYTIL) and Kitui County Textile Centre (KICOTEC) in Uganda and Kenya respectively have embarked on sizeable production of surgical masks, gowns and protective gear for example. Makerere University and Kiira Motors are collaborating to produce affordable ventilators. These are opportunities Africa must not let go. All that is required is for African governments to give strategic and supervisory technical support to these industries so that they can produce quality competitive products.

In conclusion, Africa governments have an opportunity to structurally reform their economies by putting more emphasis on the industrial/manufacturing sectors as potential supplier of basic and critical medical supplies. This has a multitude of economy wide benefits besides guaranteeing the security of medical supplies. Also, African governments have an opportunity to structurally reform their health systems.  After all, as is being demonstrated under the COVID-19 pandemic, we are all candidates for admission to these facilities and therefore it is in our interest to have them properly functional and the medical teams well equipped to handle any case presented to them. We indeed, stand to benefit from medical tourism once this happens.