2020-04-22
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) - a pandemic that has claimed hundred of thousands of lives across the globe and spread to numerous African countries has caused an unprecedented global health threat. Governments and health authorities across Africa are striving to limit the spread of infections which will be catastrophic in a continent that is already characterized by numerous challenges in healthcare provision. During this pandemic, ReAct Africa has partnered with Africa CDC in organizing and facilitating webinars to raise awareness on COVID-19.
ReAct Africa takes a holistic and overarching perspective in all matters pertaining to antimicrobial resistance and raising awareness by informing different sectors under the one health approach about current healthcare challenges. ReAct Africa strives to bring together experts and key stakeholders and increases collaboration with relevant stakeholders for concerted action on improving healthcare in Africa.
During this pandemic, ReAct Africa has partnered with Africa CDC in organizing and facilitating webinars to raise awareness on COVID-19.
The ReAct Africa and Africa CDC webinar series had sessions with topics detailed below:
Session 1 – Understanding COVID-19:
- Dr. Mirfin Mpundu, Director ReAct Africa
- Dr. Duncan Chanda, Director Adult Infectious Diseases Centre of Excellence-University Teaching Hospital, Zambia & Deputy Chair AMS
Dr.-Duncan-Chanda-Dr.-Mirfin-Mpundu_COVID19-Webinar (26,7 MB)
Session 2- Basics of viral infections & diagnostics:
Dr. Matti Karvanen, Scientific Officer, ReAct Europe
Basics of viral infections & diagnostics (PDF, 1,5 MB)
Session 3 – Treatment of viral infections including COVID-19
- Dr. Sujith Chandy, Director ReAct Asia Pacific, Professor Christian Medical Centre, Vellore, India
Treatment of viral infections including COVID-19 (PDF, 4,3 MB)
Session 4 – COVID-19 and Antimicrobial Resistance
- Prof. Caline Mattar, Assistant Professor of Medicine Division of Infectious Diseases, Washington University, St Louis, USA
COVID-19 and Antimicrobial Resistance – What do we know so far? (PDF, 0,7 MB)
Session 5 – Country responses to COVID-19 and the role of Africa-CDC and Civil Society Organizations
Panel Discussion with:
- Ms. Akhona Tshangela, Lead Scientific & Policy, Africa CDC
- Dr. Yewande Alimi, AMR Programme Coordinator, Africa CDC
- Dr. Mirfin Mpundu, Director ReAct Africa
- Dr. Philip Mathew Associate Professor Community Medicine, PIMS India & Consultant, ReAct Asia Pacific
- Ms. Otridah Kapona Lab Scientist, AMR Focal Point, Zambia
Ms. Akhona Tshangela & Dr. Wande Alimi: Africa CDC’s Response to COVID (PDF, 1,1 MB)
Dr. Mirfin Mpundu:Role of Civil Society Organizations in addressing COVID-19 (PDF, 0,6 MB)
Dr. Philip Mathew A: Covid-19 in India- what do we know till now? (PDF, 1,5 MB)
Ms. Otridah Kapona; Zambia’s response to COVID-19 (PDF, 1 MB)
Session 6 – Affecting food systems and food security in Africa
- Dr. Scott Newman, Delivery Manager for FAO’s Africa Regional Initiative 2: Sustainable Production Intensification and Value Chain Development, and Senior Animal Health & Production Officer at FAO Regional Office for Africa in Ghana.
Click here to listen to recorded webinar.
Session 7 – High-Level Discussion: Reflections on Post COVID-19 & global health including lessons for future responses to pandemics and antimicrobial resistance (AMR)
- Dr. Tim Jinks – Wellcome Trust
- Prof. Otto Cars – Founder of ReAct
- Dr. Patricia Geli – World Bank
- Dr. Stefan Peterson – UNICEF
- Dr. Robert Skov – ICARS
Dr. Robert Skov, ICARS (2,4 MB)
Dr. Tim Jinks, Wellcome Trust: Wellcome’s response to COVID-19.
See recorded webinar below:
Session 8 – Civil Society Organization’s support for Antimicrobial Resistance control during COVID-19 pandemic
- Esteller Mbadiwe, Founding Partner, Ducit Blue Solutions, Nigeria
- Tapiwanashe Kujinga, Director, Pan-African Treatment Access Movement, Zimbabwe
- Vanessa Carter, Founder, Healthcare Communications and Social Media South Africa and ePatient scholar, South Africa
- Julian Nyamupachitu, Program Officer, ReAct Africa
See recorded webinar below:
Sharing knowledge on COVID-19
The sessions enabled the sharing of knowledge on COVID-19 from expert presenters who shared the knowledge they have regarding the current pandemic.
The sessions also provided a platform for discussions and question and answer sessions after each presentation. This allowed for participants from different countries to share their present experiences and challenges regarding the pandemic.
CSOs have important roles in Africa
A number of civil society organizations (CSOs) attended the webinars. Civil society organizations’ role not only as partners with the government but also providing stakeholder platforms for collaboration and integration of health issues in Africa. In addition, civil society organizations have the capability to function as monitoring and evaluation agents tracking the progress on commitments that governments make in areas such as surveillance, affordable access, infection prevention and control, and raising awareness about antimicrobial resistance which are all very important even in the current pandemic condition.
More news and opinion from 2020
- Nurse Dorce, Indonesia: Treating small patients with much love and infection prevention – a success story
- ReAct highlights during World Antimicrobial Awareness week 2020
- ReAct Asia Pacific: Winners of 2020 photography competition
- WAAW ReAct Africa: Engaging civil society and students
- WAAW in Indonesia: Focus on One Health approach to AMR
- Innovate4Health’s 32 finalist teams: For social innovations to address emerging infectious diseases!
- ReAct Open Letter: 5 key points to One Health Global Leaders Group on Antimicrobial Resistance
- New ReAct Report: Treatment of newborn sepsis is threatened – effective antibiotics essential
- Upcoming ReAct Africa Conference: What is the status of the NAPs on AMR in the African region?
- Animal welfare and antibiotic resistance in food animals
- ReAct activities for World Antimicrobial Awareness Week 2020
- Dr. Honar Cherif: My patients can receive 5-10 courses of antibiotics during their cancer treatment
- New ReAct Report: Antibiotic resistance affects men and women differently
- ReAct Asia Pacific: Photo competition for students – health in focus
- 4 take aways from WHO’s first global report on sepsis
- Launch of global student design sprint – Innovate4Health
- World Sepsis Day – antibiotics essential in treatment of sepsis
- The new Pharmaceutical Strategy for Europe – an opportunity to put public interest first
- 4 key reflections on the recently launched WHO GLASS-report
- Key points from ReAct’s comments to the Independent Panel on Evidence
- ReAct Interview: From zoologist to community engagement on AMR
- ReAct Africa expands
- COVID-19 resolution – a missed opportunity to address global pandemic response more broadly
- What everyone needs to know about clinical research
- New ReAct Policy Brief: Successful cancer treatment relies on effective antibiotics
- Impact of COVID-19 on vaccine-preventable diseases and antibiotic resistance
- ReAct Africa and Africa CDC: COVID-19 webinars
- Antibiotic pollution: India scores a global first with effluent limits
- COVID-19 and AMR – what do we know so far?
- Learning from bedaquiline in South Africa – comprehensive health systems for new antibiotics
- ReAct Interview: How does antibiotics in food animal production end up in the environment?
- Key take aways from CSO workshop on AMR in Kenya
- New fact sheet: Effective antibiotics – essential for childrens’ survival
- Shortages and AMR – why should we care? 4 consequences of antibiotic shortages
- Our microbiome and noncommunicable diseases
- The 2020 AMR Benchmark Report – concerning findings with questionable framing
- 4 key reflections from engaging hospitals in India for antibiotic stewardship
- Teacher Gustavo Cedillo, Ecuador, teaches children about the bacterial world