Africa: Vulnerable Populations in the COVID-19 Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world and especially the health care sphere since its start. It has affected all countries and challenged the national and international systems. From its beginning, COVID-19 disproportionally impacted countries with scarce resources and lacking access to medication and prevention methods. In 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO, 2021) identified that most cases of COVID-19 in African countries went undetected by medical professionals. Countries under investigation had and still have limited testing abilities. Nachega et al. (2021) support these findings and argue that researchers based in Africa lack access to laboratory testing and sequencing to detect new strains on time. Moreover, as many of these nations are low-income, they may not get vaccines without outside help. The WHO and other organizations have called for international support and volunteers to deliver vaccines to people living in African countries to prevent the spread and lower the rates of fatal cases.
A Country’s Response to the Pandemic
One of the countries that were able to contain the infection’s spread early due to its resources was Finland. In 2020, after the first cases were reported, Finland became one of the nations with exemplary results in dealing with COVID-19 (Tiirinki et al., 2020). Finland’s health care system is nationalized and decentralized – local authorities are responsible for the system’s financial management. The country’s government quickly implemented a new policy of social distancing, while several clinics changed their focus to serve patients with respiratory symptoms. However, according to Tiirinki et al. (2020), the country did not have a separate government agency for handling such major crises. The country had to declare a state of emergency for a quick response. Nevertheless, due to sufficient funding from citizens, several income streams, low population numbers, and a strong distancing policy, Finland was well-equipped to handle its first cases of COVID-19.
Lessons Learned: COVID-19 and the Spanish Flu
First responses to COVID-19 and people’s reactions to the subsequent waves of the infection show which lessons could be learned for the next potential pandemic. For example, Summers et al. (2020) analyze two countries, Taiwan and New Zealand, and their reactions to the outbreak. Taiwan reacted quickly due to its proximity to China and the history of past pandemics. All arriving individuals were screened for symptoms, and the country restricted non-residents from entering (Summers et al., 2020). Moreover, quarantine policies were put in place, while large gatherings were prohibited. Therefore, the country acted before the infection could spread widely, avoiding a massive lockdown in the first stages. New Zealand, in contrast, has to instate a full lockdown – but its strict policy on arrival and testing was similar to those in Taiwan. Summers et al. (2020) conclude that immediate action is a vital lesson that has to be learned by all governments. The decision to implement preventive measures and implement technology can save lives before the infection spreads.
The COVID-19 pandemic is not the first outbreak that affected millions of people. Approximately a century ago, several countries encountered influenza, otherwise known as the Spanish Flu. According to Saqr and Wasson (2020), the lessons from this epidemic were largely ignored, as it was already known that social distancing and masks were effective against spreading the infection. Moreover, older works wrote about lockdown as a measure to prevent mass infection, but several countries did not follow this advice in time (Munnoli, et al., 2020). Thus, it is vital to continue disseminating information about pandemic responses proven to be effective in the cases of both epidemics.
References
Munnoli, P. M., Nabapure, S., & Yeshavanth, G. (2020). Post-COVID-19 precautions based on lessons learned from past pandemics: A review. Journal of Public Health, 1-9.
Nachega, J. B., Sam-Agudu, N. A., Masekela, R., van der Zalm, M. M., Nsanzimana, S., Condo, J., Ntoumi, F., Rabie, H., Kruger, M., Wiysonge, C., Ditekemena, J., Chirimwami, R., Ntakwinja, M., Mukwege, D., Noormahomed, E., Paleker, M., Mahomed, H., Tamfum, J., Zumla., A., & Suleman, F. (2021). Addressing challenges to rolling out COVID-19 vaccines in African countries. The Lancet Global Health, 9(6), e746-e748.
Saqr, M., & Wasson, B. (2020). COVID-19: Lost opportunities and lessons for the future. International Journal of Health Sciences, 14(3), 4-6.
Summers, J., Cheng, H. Y., Lin, H. H., Barnard, L. T., Kvalsvig, A., Wilson, N., & Baker, M. G. (2020). Potential lessons from the Taiwan and New Zealand health responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.The Lancet Regional Health-Western Pacific, 4, 100044.
Tiirinki, H., Tynkkynen, L. K., Sovala, M., Atkins, S., Koivusalo, M., Rautiainen, P., Jormanainen, V., & Keskimäki, I. (2020). COVID-19 pandemic in Finland – Preliminary analysis on health system response and economic consequences. Health Policy and Technology, 9(4), 649-662.
World Health Organization. (2021). Six in seven COVID-19 infections go undetected in Africa.