• Who We Are
    • Who We Are
    • Mission
    • History
    • General Synod
    • Leadership and Ministry
    • Staff
    • United Church of Christ Board
  • What We Believe
    • What We Believe
    • Worship Ways
    • Daily Devotional
  • What We Do
    • What We Do
    • Office of the General Minister & President
    • Justice & Local Church Ministries
    • Wider Church Ministries
  • News
  • Church Finder
  • Donate Now
  • Search
UCC Logo United Church of Christ
  • Church Finder
  • Events
  • Contact
  • Store
  • Frontline Faith Portal
  • Donate Now
  • Search
  • Who We Are
    • Column
      • About
        • Mission
        • Constitution and Bylaws
        • History
          • UCC Archives
        • UCC Brand Guidelines
        • General Synod
          • Synod 33 Worship Videos
          • Past General Synods
        • Abuse Prevention
    • Column
      • Structure
        • Conferences
        • Affiliated Ministries
          • The Pension Boards
          • Cornerstone Fund
          • Insurance Board
          • The Council for Health and Human Services Ministries
          • Church Building & Loan Fund
          • Convergence
    • Column
      • Team
        • Elected Officers
        • Staff
        • United Church of Christ Board
          • Board Minutes
        • Office of General Counsel
        • UCCOSSN
    • Column
      • Career Opportunities
      • Annual Reports
  • What We Believe
    • Column
      • Worship
        • Statement of Faith of the United Church of Christ – La Declaración de Fe de la Iglesia Unida de Cristo
        • Worship Ways
        • Daily Devotional
        • Sermon Seeds
  • How We Serve
    • Column
      • Office of the General Minister & President
        • Welcome to Human Resources
          • Employee Relations Resources
        • Center for Analytics, Research & Development and Data (CARDD)
          • General CARDD FAQs
          • About The Center for Analytics, Research & Development, and Data (CARDD)
          • Authorized Minister Opt Out
          • Access UCC
          • Archived Reports
          • Assessment Resources
          • Information Policies and Requests
          • Faith Communities Today (FACT) Survey
          • MissionInsite
          • Statistics and Reports
          • Vital Signs and Statistics Blog
          • Data Hub FAQs
          • Data Hub
          • Yearbook and Directory
    • Column
      • Justice & Local Church Ministries
        • Justice
          • Faithful Action Ministries
            • Environmental Justice Ministries
            • Economic Justice
            • Racial Justice
          • Office of Public Policy & Advocacy in Washington D.C.
            • Justice and Peace Action Network
            • Our Faith Our Vote
            • Justice Training Resources
            • Action Center
          • Health and Wholeness Advocacy
            • Disabilities and Mental Health Justice
            • Encuentros Latinx
            • UCC HIV & AIDS Network-UCAN
            • LGBTQ Ministries
            • Our Whole Lives
            • Overdose and Drug Use Ministries
            • Scouting
            • Wellness Ministries
          • The Pilgrim Press & Stillspeaking Publications
    • Column
      • Justice & Local Church Ministries
        • Local Church
          • The Faith Education, Innovation and Formation (Faith INFO)Team
            • Weekly Seeds
            • Youth & Young Adults
          • Worship Resources
            • Worship Ways
            • Sermon Seeds
            • Synod 33 Worship Videos
            • Music and Liturgical Arts
          • Stewardship & Generosity Resources
          • Ministerial Excellence, Support & Authorization (MESA)
            • History, Polity, and Theology
            • Search and Call
            • Ministerial Profiles
            • Ministry Opportunities
            • Manual on Ministry
    • Column
      • Wider Church Ministries
        • Global Ministries
        • Global H.O.P.E.
          • Volunteer Ministries
          • Refugee and Migration Ministries
          • Disaster Ministries
          • Recovering Hope
        • Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations
  • Resources
  • News
    • Column
      • News
        • United Church of Christ News
    • Column
      • Columns
        • Witness for Justice
        • Into the Mystic
        • Getting to the Root of It
        • The Pollinator: UCC Environmental Justice Blog
        • UCC Roots
        • Encounters at the Well
        • Reflexiones
    • Column
      • Upcoming Events
        • Webinars
      • Subscriptions at the United Church of Christ
      • Changes & Deaths
  • Giving
    • Column
      • Donate Now
      • Ways to Give
        • Giving Tuesday
        • General Synod 2021 Thursday in Black Offering
        • General Synod 2021 Racial Justice Offering
        • Disaster Ministries: How to Give
        • Our Church’s Wider Mission
          • Our Church’s Wider Mission Basic Support
          • Strengthen the Church
          • One Great Hour of Sharing
          • Neighbors in Need
          • Christmas Fund
          • 5 for 5
    • Column
      • Ways We Give
        • Scholarships & Grants

  • Home
  • News
  • Column
  • Daily COVID-19 briefing from UCC - facts, not fear
  • Africa: The Next Epicenter of the COVID-19 Pandemic?

Africa: The Next Epicenter of the COVID-19 Pandemic?

by Barbara T. Baylor | published on May 15, 2020

United Church of Christ – Wider Church Ministries
Humanitarian Development Team
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Daily Briefing
Barbara T. Baylor, MPH – Temporary Health Liaison

Africa: The Next Epicentworld_Map.pnger of the COVID-19 Pandemic?

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that Africa, the world’s second-largest continent with a population of 1.3 billion people, is poised to potentially become the next epicenter of the highly infectious and deadly COVID-19 disease.

As of May 14, the African Centres for Disease Prevention and Control have reported 73,176 confirmed infections, 2,496 fatalities and 25,462 recoveries.  Fatalities include the former President of the Republic of the Congo and Somalia’s former Prime Minister.

Experts warn fragile healthcare systems in many African countries could be overwhelmed in the face of a severe outbreak of COVID-19.

Millions of people in Africa live just on or just above the poverty line. Poverty exacerbates the known challenges Africa has, including health care systems that are ill equipped to treat patients without support from international organizations, and lack of information and resources to tell citizens what precautions they should take to stave off the virus, such as washing their hands for 20 seconds or keeping six feet apart. And millions on the continent, mainly in the east and south, already suffer from other complications such as HIV/AIDS that could make them more vulnerable to a COVID-19.

This virus does not discriminate. Every race, gender, faith, ethnicity, and nation has experienced illness and death as a result. The African continent is extremely vulnerable to a large-scale outbreak. No one is immune. 

Following is an update from Global Ministries, a joint witness of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the United Church of Christ. Global Ministries works with approximately 290 faith-based international partners in close to 90 countries.

Africa

The World Health Organization recommends regular hand washing and physical distancing for curbing and stopping the spread of COVID-19. What if you live in a densely populated community or in a village that does not have access to clean water?

This is the reality for countless sub-Saharan African communities, especially those in rural areas. According to the World Bank, 75% of people in sub-Saharan Africa living in rural areas lack adequate facilities for handwashing. These same communities have, for several years, experienced droughts as a result of climate change and lack access to clean water because of poor infrastructure.

For example, for several years, South Africans have experienced a water shortage across the country caused by urbanization, deforestation, and the destruction of wetlands. Urban and wealthier communities have been able to mitigate the shortfall, while populations in the poor, mostly rural, townships have been negatively impacted. Squatter communities often go weeks without access to water. How will people living in these communities protect themselves against this pandemic?

Will physical distancing protect them? Most African nations are imposing stay-at-home or lockdown orders. These mandates are limiting movements to grocery shopping and medical appointments. Restricting people’s movement is helpful for some nations but it is not practical in many African countries. It is nearly impossible for women in rural Africa to stay home for extended periods.

Most women sustain their families by operating informal shops that sell local produce and other household items. If they are unable to work their “shops,” their families become increasingly vulnerable to food insecurity and malnourishment. Also, refrigeration is a challenge because of the lack of electricity. Therefore, women must go to the market every day to purchase food for their families. These markets are often very dense and crowded, increasing their risk of contracting COVID-19.

COVID-19 has exposed global inequalities and disparities, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Hand washing and physical distancing are privileges denied to countless communities in Africa. The realities of climate change and economic inequalities are having a significant impact on African societies during the COVID-19 pandemic.

See also:

COVID-19 Africa Area Update – includes a video update

COVID-19 Daily Briefing Archives

Categories: Column Daily COVID-19 briefing from UCC - facts, not fear

Get the UCC in your inbox!

Sign up for the weekly UCC News Digest

Privacy Policy
 
 

Related News

Talitha Koum
Talitha Koum - The UCC Women's Newsletter

Welcome to Talitha Koum: The UCC Newsletter for Women, Girls and Their Allies

Welcome! I am so grateful that you have decided to connect with UCC women and allies through...

Read More
Witness for Justice
Witness for Justice

Closing the Global Gender Digital Divide

The 67th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) was held in New York City...

Read More
Column

Planning for Earth Month: Resources for Congregations

April is Earth Month, and for congregations, it can be a great time to further discern how...

Read More
  • Column
    • Local Church and Conference Resource Directory
    • Mission
    • Justice & Local Church Ministries
    • Wider Church Ministries
    • General Synod Resolutions
  • Column
    • Contact
    • News
    • Store

Content on ucc.org is copyrighted by the National Setting of the United Church of Christ and may be only shared according to the guidelines outlined here.

1300 E. 9th Street, Suite 1100
Cleveland, Ohio 44114

  • Follow us on Facebook
  • Follow us on Twitter
  • Follow us on Instagram
  • Subscribe on YouTube

Donate Now


UCC Crest
© United Church of Christ 2023. Privacy Policy.
Crafted by Cornershop Creative