Moving from rhetoric to action: how Africa can use scientific evidence to halt the COVID-19 pandemic
Abstract The ongoing pandemic of the coronavirus disease 2019 has spread rapidly to all countries of the world. Africa is particularly predisposed to an escalation of the pandemic and its negative impact given its weak economy and health systems. In addition, inadequate access to the social determin...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2020-10-01
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| Series: | Infectious Diseases of Poverty |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40249-020-00740-0 |
| _version_ | 1811211050548199424 |
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| author | Olushayo Oluseun Olu Joy Luba Lomole Waya Sylvester Maleghemi John Rumunu David Ameh Joseph Francis Wamala |
| author_facet | Olushayo Oluseun Olu Joy Luba Lomole Waya Sylvester Maleghemi John Rumunu David Ameh Joseph Francis Wamala |
| author_sort | Olushayo Oluseun Olu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The ongoing pandemic of the coronavirus disease 2019 has spread rapidly to all countries of the world. Africa is particularly predisposed to an escalation of the pandemic and its negative impact given its weak economy and health systems. In addition, inadequate access to the social determinants of health such as water and sanitation and socio-cultural attributes may constrain the implementation of critical preventive measures such as hand washing and social distancing on the continent. Given these facts, the continent needs to focus on targeted and high impact prevention and control strategies and interventions which could break the chain of transmission quickly. We conclude that the available body of scientific evidence on the coronavirus disease 2019 holds the key to the development of such strategies and interventions. Going forward, we recommend that the African research community should scale up research to provide scientific evidence for a better characterization of the epidemiology, transmission dynamics, prevention and control of the virus on the continent. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T05:06:14Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7bf2d745171643a195d4037ef64a85bd |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2049-9957 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T05:06:14Z |
| publishDate | 2020-10-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Infectious Diseases of Poverty |
| spelling | doaj.art-7bf2d745171643a195d4037ef64a85bd2022-12-22T03:46:53ZengBMCInfectious Diseases of Poverty2049-99572020-10-01911610.1186/s40249-020-00740-0Moving from rhetoric to action: how Africa can use scientific evidence to halt the COVID-19 pandemicOlushayo Oluseun Olu0Joy Luba Lomole Waya1Sylvester Maleghemi2John Rumunu3David Ameh4Joseph Francis Wamala5World Health Organization COVID-19 preparedness and response teamWorld Health Organization COVID-19 preparedness and response teamWorld Health Organization COVID-19 preparedness and response teamWorld Health Organization COVID-19 preparedness and response teamWorld Health Organization COVID-19 preparedness and response teamWorld Health Organization COVID-19 preparedness and response teamAbstract The ongoing pandemic of the coronavirus disease 2019 has spread rapidly to all countries of the world. Africa is particularly predisposed to an escalation of the pandemic and its negative impact given its weak economy and health systems. In addition, inadequate access to the social determinants of health such as water and sanitation and socio-cultural attributes may constrain the implementation of critical preventive measures such as hand washing and social distancing on the continent. Given these facts, the continent needs to focus on targeted and high impact prevention and control strategies and interventions which could break the chain of transmission quickly. We conclude that the available body of scientific evidence on the coronavirus disease 2019 holds the key to the development of such strategies and interventions. Going forward, we recommend that the African research community should scale up research to provide scientific evidence for a better characterization of the epidemiology, transmission dynamics, prevention and control of the virus on the continent.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40249-020-00740-0Coronavirus disease 2019Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2Scientific evidencePreventionControlAfrica |
| spellingShingle | Olushayo Oluseun Olu Joy Luba Lomole Waya Sylvester Maleghemi John Rumunu David Ameh Joseph Francis Wamala Moving from rhetoric to action: how Africa can use scientific evidence to halt the COVID-19 pandemic Infectious Diseases of Poverty Coronavirus disease 2019 Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 Scientific evidence Prevention Control Africa |
| title | Moving from rhetoric to action: how Africa can use scientific evidence to halt the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full | Moving from rhetoric to action: how Africa can use scientific evidence to halt the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_fullStr | Moving from rhetoric to action: how Africa can use scientific evidence to halt the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full_unstemmed | Moving from rhetoric to action: how Africa can use scientific evidence to halt the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_short | Moving from rhetoric to action: how Africa can use scientific evidence to halt the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_sort | moving from rhetoric to action how africa can use scientific evidence to halt the covid 19 pandemic |
| topic | Coronavirus disease 2019 Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 Scientific evidence Prevention Control Africa |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40249-020-00740-0 |
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