Africa must co-ordinate fight against COVID-19

I HAVE been reading in some sections of the media where Rwandan President Paul Kagame stated that despite the east African community being focused on minimising the cross-border movement of people, there is a lack of co-ordination and harmonisation.

Kagame is said to have made the remarks while briefing the African Union meeting chaired by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa bringing together the AU Extended Bureau with chairs of regional economic communities last Wednesday.

He said that on March 25, Health and Trade ministers from the east African community agreed to align key measures to prevent the spread of the virus in the region and also provide mobile testing laboratories for member states to use at designated border crossings.

Kagame added that a comprehensive regional response plan is still needed, and owning up fully to this heavy responsibility, where “we not only do our best in our own countries but share information and harmonise the way we go about business in the whole region.”

I feel that it is important that we work together to procure equipment and test kits collectively so that each country does not have to line up separately to get their fair share.

Instead of the fight being focused around east Africa, we should look at the broader picture of incorporating the whole of Africa.

Kagame implored the chair of the African Union and the chair of the commission and requested them to support Zimbabwean telecoms mogul Strive Masiyiwa to make sure that the contacts made are answering this problem well.

Africa should join hands and make a co-ordinated fight against the dreaded coronavirus.

We should make inroads in showing the way how things should be done.

That dark continent should shine light as one entity.