CYRIL RAMAPHOSA|
AFRICA’s management of the COVID-19 pandemic is a story of defied expectations. It is now two years since the first COVID-19 case in Africa was reported. Even as the burden of infections remains high – to date Africa has recorded over 11 million cases – dire predictions about Africa’s ability to withstand the health impact of the pandemic have not materialised.
Some have called it Africa’s COVID-19 paradox, that despite widespread poverty, poor living conditions, under-resourced national health systems and scant resources, the pandemic is being effectively managed in a number of African countries.
Several reasons have been suggested for this ‘paradox’.
These include the continent’s relatively young population, experience in fighting outbreaks of disease, exposure of the population to previous infections, and limited travel connections in many countries.
Another reason that has been suggested is the rapid response of the African Union to the pandemic, driving
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