12, April 2020
Coronavirus: Africa is still doing well compared to other continents 0
According to www.worldometer.com, Africa has lost some 710 people to the Coronavirus.
Since the virus started, many people around the world have been worried about Africa, a continent many people say is bereft of world-class health infrastructure.
Egypt, Algeria, Morocco have registered the highest numbers of people killed by virus on the continent.
It should be pointed out that Africa is a continent and not a country. It is a continent of 54 countries and more than a billion people, many of whom are young and are blessed with very strong immune systems.
At the beginning of the viral pandemic, many westerners had predicted that there would be an apocalypse on the continent due to the lack of proper medical facilities and experts, but things are pointing in a different direction.
Much of the success is also due to the distancing and containment measures that most African countries have put in place. The wearing of face masks is now compulsory in many African countries and the use of hand sanitizers is mandatory in many shops and government offices.
The population is complying with most of measures in place and this is delivering some impressive outcomes.
Africans have to continue doing the right things. They must make social distancing a significant part of their lives, regardless of the challenges that come with it.
The virus is still alive and it is leaving a trail of death and destruction in other parts of the world. Africans must learn from the mistakes of other people and with their natural advantage, they will be able to keep the death rate at the barest minimum.
By Dr Joachim Arrey
13, April 2020
Cameroon college students opt for local solutions in fighting COVID-19 0
Starting from the upcoming Monday, wearing a mask in public spaces in Cameroon shall be compulsory, according to a government order.
Mouhamed Amin Nsangou, 26, a student at the University of Yaounde I, did not wait for this decision before starting the production of masks.
Failing to find protective masks in quantity on the market, Nsangou and his university peers set up a workshop to manufacture masks with local fabrics.
“When our country was hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, we felt we had to get involved in the fight,” he said. “We make the protective masks using 100 percent cotton fabrics found on the market.”
These masks, which sell for 1,000 CFA francs per piece (about 1.7 dollars), “are washable for many times, because many Cameroonians could not afford to buy masks all the time,” Nsangou said.
In addition to the masks, students majoring in biology and chemistry also produce hydro-alcoholic solutions, which are also rare in local market as more and more COVID-19 cases are reported.
“Thanks to the protocol made public by the World Health Organization (WHO), we get our raw materials on the market to produce hydro-alcoholic gels,” said Michel Pepouore Ngoundam, a student in industrial microbiology at the University of Yaounde I.
According to the students, so far, their initiatives have helped to provide about a hundred students with face masks and hydro-alcoholic gels.
The Cameroonian government is planning a massive local production of masks, hand gels, and other materials to fight the virus, according to the government decree making it mandatory to wear the mask.
According to the latest report from the country’s health authorities, as of April 11, Cameroon has reported 836 COVID-19 cases, making it one of the African countries worstly hit by the pandemic.
Source: Xinhuanet