Viral infections amidst COVID‐19 in Africa: Implications and recommendations
Olivier Uwishema, Irem Adanur, Abdulhammed Opeyemi Babatunde, Mohammad Mehedi Hasan, Osman Kamal Osman Elmahi, Kolawole Barakat Olajumoke, Abdullahi Tunde Aborode, Emmanuella Nzeribe, Ana Carla dos Santos Costa, Shoaib Ahmad, Mohammad Yasir Essar
Abstract
Hepatitis, a significant cause of mortality worldwide, results in around 1.34 million deaths each year globally. Africa is not exempt from the plague of Hepatitis. Around 100 million estimated individuals are infected with Hepatitis B or C. Egypt has the highest prevalence of cases of Hepatitis followed by Cameroon and Burundi. The continent is severely affected by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, as the virus has added an additional burden on the already fragile continent. With the pandemic, it is presumable that Hepatitis like other viral diseases will pose a threat to collapsing healthcare system. Therefore, for Africa to become more resilient in the face of such menaces, including Hepatitis, further prevention policies are required to be implemented.