Covid-19
Covid-19: WHO is disappointed Nigerians, other Africans are not dying as projected, official admits
In April, Melinda Gates, wife of the world’s biggest do-gooder Bill Gates, was all fear on CNN when she expressed her fears.
‘Look at what’s going on in Ecuador. They’re putting bodies out on the street. You’re going to see that in countries in Africa,” she said.
She was lamenting how the developed world were not playing the white knight well enough in their response to the pandemic in Africa, a continent which, she believes, can’t afford washing of hands and social distancing because of poverty.
Much earlier and up till recently, the World Health Organisation, too, made its grim prediction: a quarter of a billion confirmed cases, and 190,000 deaths in Africa.
In fact Tedro Ghebreyesus, WHO’s director-general, couldn’t hide his suspicion (of figure manipulation) two months ago when confirmed cases all over Africa was just 233. He believed people were dying, and it was just a matter of time when massive death reports would be exposed.
When not much happened to validate its claim two months later, WHO had to adjust its model, and crushed the number down to 1.2 million confirmed cases—for West Africa—143000 plus for Central Africa.
But, Wednesday, the UN agency could not hide its disappointment—or wonderment—at the still very low figures of infection and fatalities coming out of Africa.
The director of the WHO Regional Office for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, had to wonder aloud during the Africa.com webinar series session 6 tagged “What’s the real story behind Africa’s COVID-19 figures?”
As stated on the Africa.com webinar series session, the world health body admitted the Dark Continent is succeeding in controlling the spread of COVID-19.
“We are seeing fewer cases (in Africa) than expected,” said Moeti.
And things keep getting better.
According to her, West Africa recorded 16 per cent daily growth rate of confirmed cases before April 1. The rate has now gone down to 6.5 per cent.
In Central Africa, the growth rate reduced even more drastically: from 14 per cent before April 1 to 4 per cent now. While the number of cases expected in the region on May 17 was 149,353, the cases reported as of that day was 8,021.
“The WHO believes that Africa’s measures of curtailing the virus are working and are reporting a slowing down of the rate of spread,” Moeti said.
Contravening her D-G who in March nearly accused Africa of cooking its figures, Moeti said, “Countries with higher testing levels per 10,000 people and sharing of date suggested a true picture of the outbreak.”
She even made a point of Nigeria’s response to the Kano upsurge. And it was on the credit side. “For COVID-19 in Kano State Nigeria, authorities responded quickly to community alerts,” she said.
Africa has remained one of the continent with the lowest infection and death rates since Covid-19 broke out in December, starting from China, and spreading across the world by January.
The US has recorded more than 1 million confirmed cases and close to 100,000 deaths. About 40,000 Britons have died. Italy, Spain, Russia have also recorded very high infection rates and fatality figures.
Moses
May 22, 2020 at 9:23 pm
Africa is d eyes and d heart of GOD
Da foreign countries predicted da worst
death of coronaviruse in africa, but mercy said no.
Fear d LORD and he will spare ur countries an ur people
From death just d way he is working in Africa.
ini ini Kingsleyy
May 22, 2020 at 11:06 pm
GOD BLESS AFRICA
Tim
May 23, 2020 at 12:22 am
Apparently, d writer doesn’t know shit about d real figures… Number of deaths in d USA as of this moment stands at 97,637 not “well over 100,000” and number of deaths in UK is 36,393, not 40,000
Isaac
May 23, 2020 at 7:59 am
A cow without tail it’s the Lord that drive the flies.
Be Real
May 23, 2020 at 12:34 pm
Tim, the person who composed the article simply allowed for a percentage level added to the recorded figures, because the administration of both the countries you mention are liars, or at least are incapable of knowing the exactly scale of the problem as you naively believe..
Spain
May 23, 2020 at 2:17 pm
THE REAL TRUTH IS THAT SOME PEOPLE WITH SMALL MINDS FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT AFRICANS ARE DEALING WITH THIS PANDEMIC BETTER THAN OTHER COUNTRIES
Cedric O'shiloh
May 23, 2020 at 4:46 pm
Really??? “Ojek’egbum gbu onwe.” Covid 19 was actually concorted to eliminate Africans but the God of the Africans turned it against them. As they are battling looking for cure God gave Africans the cure. They will either reject the God provided cure from Africa and keeping dying or accept it and live. WHO never see anything yet!!! Olise bi binenu pass una!!!
Nizeyimana Chamberlain
May 23, 2020 at 8:02 pm
Not all that glitters is gold! Time for west to learn from Africa. We are not idiots as you guys think. We have lived better even before colonial times.
Obsessed in him
May 24, 2020 at 2:57 pm
God will ever defend the defenceless. He fore knew our weakness and in that perfected everything by his mercies. FEAR GOD. Amama-amasighiamasi. Oloro ihe biara ilom.
Gbabo Moses Gbabo
May 25, 2020 at 11:21 am
The doom they predicted for Africa has not worked out as they thought. Many in the West never see anything good in Africa, however, Africa and Africans have held their own. We have developed our own cure and the pandemic is gradually going away. Soon, the whole thing will be over. Africa is the cradle of civilization. Take it or leave it. GbaM.
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