1m coronavirus tests to be rolled out across Africa
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More than 1 million coronavirus tests will be rolled out in Africa from next week to address a gap in assessing the number of cases on the continent, the head of the African Union’s health body has said.
In an online briefing to journalists on Thursday, John Nkengasong, director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control, said maybe 15million tests would be required across Africa in the next three months, the Associated Press reported.
Africa has suffered in the global race to obtain testing kits and other badly needed medical equipment. While the number of virus cases across the continent was above 17,000 on Thursday, health officials have said the testing shortage means more are out there. South Africa, the most assertive African nation in testing, has carried out perhaps 80,000 tests so far, Nkengasong said.
He also expressed concern for the U.S. decision to cut funding for the World Health Organization, saying it absolutely will affect African Union member states’ ability to receive support from the U.N. agency.
Any reduction in support for African nations will be painful as the continent has some of the worlds weakest health systems.
Ten African nations have no ventilators at all to treat virus patients who need respiratory support, the Africa CDC chief said, but arrangements are being made to deliver some recently donated by the Jack Ma Foundation. Nkengasong did not name the 10 countries.
