Preparing the next generation of African Healthcare Workers and Scientists: Lessons from Corona Virus Pandemic

Assessment the Risk Perception of Health Care Workers of Covid-19 Disease

“…The extreme worry about the virus transmission by the healthcare workers is an unavoidable reality. In addition to the need for the suitable and adequate laboratory equipment, the employment of trained personnel with professional commitment and high risk perception could be the acceptable method of ensuring effective confrontation with the Covid-19 disease (28).The healthcare workers due to the nature of their profession have adequate and appropriate awareness of health promoting behaviors, although they may be short of the advantages for the development of these behaviors due to such factors as hard work, shift work, long monthly working hours, high job stress and lack of a regular care delivery system schedule. Accordingly, the risk perception of the disease can play a particularly more important role (29,30).…”

Avoiding an imminent catastrophe from COVID-19 pandemic in Africa: The need to urgently prohibit mass gatherings

“…While the clamour for the cessation of all forms of lockdown and restrictions on movements and mass gatherings in various quarters keep rising; one crucial question that require an answer is that in the case of a continuous surge in COVID-19 outbreak, how many African countries can boast of a reliable health care facilities to handle and curtail it? [7][8][9][10] . According to the World population publication review, it was reported that out of about 195 countries in the world, only about 13 have a wellfunctioning healthcare system 11 .…”

“…The basic reproduction number of COVID-19 in Africa between 1 March and 19 March, 2020 as reported by a study was 2.37 with an estimated exponential growth of 0.22 per day 13 . This suggests that the present pandemic could continually rise swiftly in Africa if preventive and mitigative measures are not stringently enforced and sustained [7][8][9][10] , which involves bans on local and international travels and importantly mass gatherings.…”

“…Thus, a combination of proven strategies such as implementation of social and physical distancing, cancellation of societal functions and prohibition of public events are highly recommended in order to successfully mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa. This has also prompted the WHO to continually recommend guidelines for mass gatherings alongside contact precautions for frontline health workers caring for COVID-19 patients including good disposal measures 10,14 .…”

“…As this pandemic continues to threaten public health and safety globally, essential precautions and mitigative measures remain supreme and must be strictly encouraged and enforced [7][8][9][10] . They include sneeze and cough etiquette, strict and regular hand washing hygiene and the use of face masks, especially when amidst persons showing COVID-19 symptoms.…”