The ongoing global pandemic of the Coronavirus has made it more evident than ever before, that we are a truly inter-connected world. Issues of North, South, West, East, race, tribe, ethnicity, white, black, rich, poor, language or even national/geographical boundaries are all in the end irrelevant. We are one people with a common destiny. In very frighteningly real and tangible ways, the fate of one affects the fate of the other. It shocks and saddens me to realize that somehow, we still haven’t quite internalized that self-evident truth. As the pandemic continues to ravage the world, we are stunned as we realize that we are in the midst of an unprecedented global warfare and that the only way to truly win this war, is to quickly recognize it as such and take measures that are truly strong, coordinated and global. I am therefore calling for an urgent, strong, coordinated and truly effective response, as the only sure way to deal effectively with this unprecedented crisis and ensure the survival of our world as we know it.
Since I come from the South, let me start with countries in the south, particularly the Africa continent. To all intents and purposes, it appears that the Pandemic at this point in time is not as severe as is the case in many parts of Europe, Asia and North America. Whether this is truly the case will be determined with time. In all probability, data that we have now about Africa is an under estimation because tests are not being done in sufficient numbers. The African Epidemic is no longer just about importation of the virus. Initial index cases and their contacts have escaped the screening process and unfortunately effectively mingled with population. The reality is that community transmission is well underway.
Each country in Africa must do its bit. This fight must be taken on at the highest level of government in each country. We must learn from the tragedy of the more developed countries that delayed too long in considering and treating it as the National Emergency that it is. In Nigeria each State must act but more importantly the Federal Government must be at the helm of control efforts so that adequate control efforts are uniform across the country. The virus knows no borders. If Lagos is recording a large number of confirmed cases, what that really means is that hundreds and thousands of faceless contacts are moving all over the country and transmitting the infection - hence the community spread. At all costs we must delay the spread/transmission to buy time, for several important reasons. We have weak or even non-existent health systems in many parts of the country. These systems are expected to deal with the impending load of cases that would need hospital care or isolation. If we are able to buy enough time we may even be lucky and become beneficiaries of treatment or vaccination remedies that medical teams and researchers all over the world may succeed in providing. To buy this much needed time, we need to immediately commence nationwide self-isolation and social distancing where possible. This needs to be a coordinated and joint effort – government at the highest levels, religious leaders, community leaders, private sector, civil society. Absolutely everybody! We are blessed with some of the richest men and women in Africa. This is the time for them to join and contribute generously to save their people. We are also blessed with the largest population in Africa – infact one fifth of the population. If we fail to stop the epidemic and it manages to ravage the country, we will bring Africa to her knees not to mention the unimaginable tragedy and suffering that will be unleashed. During this period of delayed transmission we need to use it wisely to construct emergency hospitals as has been done in China and elsewhere; ship in medical supplies, train and import medical personnel if possible, bring massive numbers of ventilators and other essential medical equipment; etc.
https://includeplatform.net/blog/the-reform-of-the-african-union-in-7-questions/
Africa as a continent needs to rise up and show continental leadership-encouraging and supporting countries to reach out to their neighbors for support. The African Union now is the time to commence Continental Leadership at the highest level, with Africa Heads of State beginning to draw up joint plans enriched with lessons learnt from the pandemic response in other countries and that address the crisis not just within their countries but in full recognition of the fact that the fate of the Continent is intertwined – an epidemic in one country will inevitably provide the pathway into other countries. Strong Leadership from the AU needs to be now. Before the pandemic takes root. Africa let your leaders come together.
For the people in the north, it is most unfortunate that within the recent past, your global coordinated action and leadership seems to have been considerably weakened. We have witnessed a move to nationalistic calls and tendencies. A case of us versus the rest of them out there in the world. It is time to put your differences behind you. There is still time for you to demonstrate that you can come together whether as a G7, G8, G20 or whatever. If the Global North had been more united and in sync, countries in Europe such as Italy and Spain would have received assistance much earlier in the pandemic. Countries like the US and UK would have prepared themselves much better for their own terrifying and unfolding epidemic.
Global leaders in the North, and South need to begin to talk to themselves. If the World Leaders in the north succeed in dealing with the national epidemic that is ravaging many of their countries today, it can never be counted as success, if the epidemic continues to ravage the countries that are much weaker. The epidemic must not be allowed to take root in poorer countries with much weaker health, financial and other systems. Populations will be decimated. Financial systems will crash. Entrenched and persistent poverty will become a greater reality. Countries that think they have contained the epidemic cannot remain safe forever. They cannot close their borders indefinitely. Their trade, economy, interest, industries to a large extent also depend on the resources that come from these poorer weaker countries.
And so, I say to these global powers, that even as you stretch yourself to try and contain it within your boundaries/nation, you must recognize that an equally important element of that fight is to reach out immediately to the weaker countries and take up the fight there as well. African Union needs to demonstrate to us that they are truly a union for the good of Africa. Begin immediate talks if you haven’t already started with the global northern leaders.
There is a huge need for testing facilities, health personnel, medical supplies, medical equipment particularly ventilators, etc. But even more boldly – there will be a need for stimulus packages. These have been recognized as critical because of the already emerging economic depression in countries everywhere. These packages need to be robust. More robust for the countries in the North but as difficult as the notion may be, it is also necessary for the North to deep their hands further into their own thinning purses to help countries in Africa and other countries that need help.
https://www.concise.ng/2018/05/14/
I commend the leadership that the World Health Organization (WHO), is showing and I am personally proud that the leader of that organization, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, is from Africa and that he has proven himself a true Global Health Leader. He is also calling for global coordination and global leadership. I join in that call. However, let me add that the measures so far provided by WHO which though very sound for most of the world, is still not adequate for Africa for several reasons. Effective hand washing is much more difficult to achieve for the vast majority of our urban and rural communities that have no running water in their homes. Hand sanitizers are hardly affordable for many in our countries. The logistics of social distances are incredibly difficult – many live in overcrowded homes; our markets and public transportation mechanisms are potential incubators of the virus. Africa is in urgent need of prevention and containment measures that are tailored for Africa. To Dr Tedros again I say well done. You are doing a marvelous job but you must deliver for your continent.
We are proud of the role the United Nations has always played in the world. It is times like this that demonstrate unequivocally that their continuing existence is crucial for the welfare of the world. But they need to become an even bigger/stronger platform that will support and help enforce this global effective Coordinated Collaboration and Response. They must be bold and insistent in asking everyone to come together in putting nationalistic manifestoes aside.
In this particular global war, we will either win together or we will sink together. There is no I have contained it and you have not. There can in the final analysis be no victor only the vanquished, if we do not come together.