Search

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic forced governments, multilateral public health organisations and research institutions to undertake research quickly to inform their responses to the pandemic. Most COVID-19-related studies required swift approval, creating ethical and practical challenges for regulatory authorities and researchers. In this paper, we examine the landscape of ethics review processes in Africa during public health emergencies (PHEs). Methods: We searched four electronic databases (Web of Science, PUBMED, MEDLINE Complete, and CINAHL) to identify articles describing ethics review processes during public health emergencies and/or pandemics. We selected and reviewed those articles that were focused on Africa. We charted the data from the retrieved articles including the authors and year of publication, title, country and disease(s) reference, broad areas of (ethical) consideration, paper type, and approach. Results: Of an initial 4536 records retrieved, we screened the titles and abstracts of 1491 articles, and identified 72 articles for full review. Nine articles were selected for inclusion. Of these nine articles, five referenced West African countries including Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone, and experiences linked to the Ebola virus disease. Two articles focused on South Africa and Kenya, while the other two articles discussed more general experiences and pitfalls of ethics review during PHEs in Africa more broadly. We found no articles published on ethics review processes in Africa before the 2014 Ebola outbreak, and only a few before the COVID-19 outbreak. Although guidelines on protocol review and approval processes for PHEs were more frequently discussed after the 2014 Ebola outbreak, these did not focus on Africa specifically. Conclusions: There is a gap in the literature about ethics review processes and preparedness within Africa during PHEs. This paper underscores the importance of these processes to inform practices that facilitate timely, context-relevant research that adequately recognises and reinforces human dignity within the quest to advance scientific knowledge about diseases. This is important to improve fast responses to PHEs, reduce mortality and morbidity, and enhance the quality of care before, during, and after pandemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

African development is defined by a number of meta-trends, including climate disruption, digitalisation, informalisation, regionalisation and most recently the impacts of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The paper under consideration here is informed primarily by two of these: regionalism and the COVID-19 pandemic. Africa, or at least parts of it, have been severely affected by pandemics in recent decades. At the same time deepening regionalisation allows for more coordinated and effective actions to mitigate their worst effects. However, to date, regional integration efforts have not generally delivered desired results, and in the area of Health Science Research (HSciR) specifically, which is the area of focus for this paper. This important paper considers the nature of current activities in relation to health research by regional organizations on the continent. It provides a baseline study and incipient manifesto for increased effectiveness and greater contribution in the area of HSciR on the continent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gender equality is a prevailing global discourse and is particularly critical for Africa a continent drowned in patriarchy. Attempts are continually being made especially by gender inequality-conscious leadership in Africa to adopt international policies and implement national policies to promote gender parity. While African countries attained different levels of progress towards gender parity with these policies, the coronavirus pandemic that began in 2019 introduced another dimension to the gender equality debate globally. This study using the qualitative research method through pieces of literature analyzed the impact of COVID-19 on gender equality in Africa. It explored the potential for attaining gender equality in Africa by the years 2030 and 2063, as outlined in the Sustainable Development Goals and Agenda 2063, respectively It examined how COVID-19 exacerbated the inequalities amongst genders in comparison with the state of gender equality before COVID-19. The study further evaluated the role of COVID-19 in the state of affairs of gender roles, especially in attaining gender equality. The paper went ahead to discuss how gender equality can be improved during a crisis. The paper argued that the pandemic had magnified and exacerbated gender disparities in Africa, affecting various aspects of women's lives. Furthermore, it was discovered that this effect has caused setbacks in the advancement towards SDGs 2030 and Agenda 2063. Issues such as gender-based violence, female genital mutilation, and maternal mortality rates have experienced a notable increase. Therefore, in addressing these disparities, the paper recommends countries build equitable healthcare systems, create gender-disaggregated data production, implement policies to support women in the formal sector in managing remote work while balancing their domestic responsibilities and adopt gender budgeting practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Economic Research & Business Administration is the property of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted Sub-Saharan African health systems, caused economic downturns, and put governments under intense pressure to deliver hope to their citizens. However, the unknowns of the SARS-CoV-2 virus are a concern for many experts. This paper discusses lessons from Sub-Saharan African countries and lessons from other countries regarding pandemic management. The paper identifies five lessons from Africa's management of the COVID-19 pandemic: mutation of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, COVID-19 vaccines waning over time, the threat of vaccine hesitancy in Africa, reliance on vertical health systems and lack of knowledge on political determinants of health by African leaders. Finally, drawing lessons from the current COVID-19 pandemic response from Sub-Saharan African governments and some countries could help them improve their response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the determinants of fiscal space within the Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) region, utilising a panel of 33 countries from 2005 to 2021. The paper applied the panel threshold, difference, and system generalised method of moments (GMM) regression techniques. The empirical results found evidence of constrained fiscal space and poor governance in Central, Western, and Eastern Africa. The results further unveiled that an enhancement in governance indicators beyond −0.23 for the governance index, −0.15 for control of corruption, −0.98 for the rule of law, −0.37 for regulatory quality, −0.15 for voice and accountability, +0.36 for political stability, and −0.61 for government effectiveness, respectively, increase fiscal space. Moreover, the study concluded that the output gap, COVID-19, trade openness, and economic growth impact fiscal space availability in Central, Western, Southern, and Eastern Africa. The paper investigated whether the COVID-19 pandemic and governance quality significantly influenced fiscal space within SSA. We strongly recommend enhancement in all facets of governance through comprehensive restructuring of governance policies across all SSA countries. Another key recommendation is fostering trade openness to expand tax revenue generation and broaden the tax base, thereby providing the continent with greater fiscal space and improved resilience to unforeseen shocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The emergence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has brought an unprecedented burden on health systems and personnel globally. This pandemic potentially can result in increased frequency of stress and burnout experienced among healthcare workers (HCWs), especially in lower-and-middle-income countries with inadequate health professionals, yet little is known about their experience. This study aims to describe the range of research evidence on occupational stress and/burnout among HCWs compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa, as well as identify research gaps for further investigations to inform health policy decisions towards stress and/burnout reduction in this era and when a future pandemic occurs. Method: Arksey and O'Malley's methodological framework will be used to guide this scoping review. Literature searches will be conducted in PubMed, CINAHL, SCOPUS, Web of Science, Science Direct, and Google Scholar for relevant articles published in any language from January 2020 to the last search date. The literature search strategy will include keywords and Boolean and medical subject heading terms. This study will include peer-reviewed papers about Africa, with a focus on stress and burnout among HCWs in the COVID-19 era. In addition to the database searches, we will manually search the reference list of included articles as well as the World Health Organization's website for relevant papers. Using the inclusion criteria as a guide, two reviewers will independently screen the abstracts and full-text articles. A narrative synthesis will be conducted, and a summary of the findings reported. Discussion: This study will highlight the range of literature HCWs' experience of stress and/or burnout including the prevalence, associated factors, interventions/coping strategies, and reported effects on healthcare services during the COVID-19 era in Africa. This study's findings will be relevant to inform healthcare managers plan to mitigate stress and/or burnout as well prepare for such future pandemics. This study's findings will be disseminated in a peer-review journal, scientific conference, academic and research platforms, and social media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This mini review explores the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on adolescent sexual and reproductive health. We conducted a rapid review of the literature across three databases, with a particular focus on the African continent. Few studies have specifically focused on adolescents in Africa and this paper contributes to this paucity of research. Findings revealed the unintended consequences of the pandemic. Studies across several countries showed that the respective lockdownmeasures restricted adolescents' access to sexual and reproductive health services. The literature also showed increases in adolescent pregnancies during the lockdown, along with increases in reports of sexual violence against adolescents. We conclude this paper by offering recommendations to address these unintended consequences and potentially improve adolescent sexual and reproductive health in African communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper examines the socio-economic impact of COVID-19 and the policy response in African countries. Design/methodology/approach: This study uses discourse analysis to analyse the socio-economic impact of COVID-19 in Africa. Findings: The findings reveal that African countries have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic, and the effect was more severe for African regions compared to other regions. The rising pandemic affected social interaction and economic activities through the imposed social distancing policies that have different levels of strictness in several African countries Practical implications: The implication of the findings is that social policies can affect the social and economic well-being of citizens. Secondly, the coronavirus outbreak has revealed how a biological crisis can be transformed to a sociological subject. The most important sociological consequence of the coronavirus outbreak for African citizens is the creation of social anxiety among families and households in the region. The outbreak has also shown how vulnerable African societies are in facing health hazards. Policymakers should enforce social policies that unite communities in bad times, to reduce social anxiety. Originality/value: This is the first paper that explore the socio-economic impact of coronavirus and the policy response in African countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper discusses the outcomes of an exploratory study into the innovations, adaptations, and best practices that the tourism and hospitality sector in Africa should implement in dealing with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic-induced disruptions. Design/methodology/approach: This paper was based on data collected through qualitative approaches by reviewing published academic articles and unpublished documents, including websites, media reports and global public health entities such as the World Health Organization (WHO). Because of the lack of reliable data in some cases, this study is inductive in nature. Findings: The main finding of this research suggests that Africa which is seemingly the least affected in infection and casualty rates has conversely borne the brunt of the negative responses from the global community in travel restrictions and mobility curtailment. Overwhelming trends suggest the domestic tourism market does not have the spending capacity of international visitors who arrive with foreign currency, inevitably main-stream in the form of USD, EURO and GBP, with their spending power estimated at between 1:18 and 1:22. The fragmented, cascaded and sometimes disorganised approach in dealing with policy adoptions and implementation in managing developments around the pandemic further inhibits a compelling approach to continent-wide tourism and hospitality revival. Originality/value: This paper highlights trends, innovations, and adaptations to COVID-19-related revival strategies for Africa and contributes to academic debates on the topic which, in the Global South context is currently under-researched. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Psychological well-being is fundamental to survival behaviors, quality ties with others, and social support interactions. It entails substantial elements for optimal flourishing. Yet little attention is given to the well-being of Africans during the COVID-19 pandemic, considering Africans perceive a sense of environmental control and positive relationships with others as signs of living a purposeful and meaningful life. The present paper's aim was to provide a comprehensive understanding of the psychological well-being of Africans during the COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing measures. Method: Searching four databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and Scopus) with the keywords "mental health," "well-being", "COVID-19," "pandemic," "social distancing," and "Africa" in articles published between 2019 and 2021. Eligible studies were critically assessed for methodological quality before inclusion. Studies outside these specified years were excluded from the search because of their non-inclusion of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: Findings revealed the development of a conceptual view of the psychological well-being of Africans during the COVID-19 pandemic that includes four key components: (1) individual factors, such as pre-existing mental health conditions, coping strategies, and social support, that may influence psychological well-being; (2) societal and cultural factors, such as stigma and discrimination, that may impact mental health outcomes; (3) the impact of social distancing measures on mental health, including isolation and loneliness, economic stressors, and changes in daily routines; and (4) potential interventions to promote psychological well-being, such as teletherapy and online support groups. Conclusion: It is suggested that academics and policymakers exercise caution when using social-physical distancing as a one-size-fits-all solution to combat COVID-19 or future pandemics. Thus, due to turbulent times such as the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important that academics begin to make concerted efforts to investigate the social identities of people, paying closer attention to unique activities or practices that ensure their happiness. Overall, we suggest a greater incorporation of community-based interventions, whereby cultural beliefs and practices are introduced to promote mental health and well-being in African populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In December 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the urgent need for rapid collaboration, research, and interventions. International research collaborations foster more significant responses to rapid global changes by enabling international, multicentre research, decreasing biases, and increasing study validity while reducing overall research time and costs. However, there has been low uptake of collaborative research by African institutions and individuals. Aim: To systematically review facilitating factors and challenges to collaborative surgical research studies conducted in Africa. Methodology: A meta-research review using PubMed®/MEDLINE and Embase on surgical collaboration in Africa from 1st of January 2011 to 31st of September 2021 in accordance to PRISMA guidelines. Surgical studies by collaborative groups involving African authors and sites were included (55 papers). Data on the study period, geographical regions, and research scope, facilitating factors, and challenges were extracted from the studies retrieved from the search. Results: Most of the collaborations in Africa occurred with European institutions (76%). Of the 54 African countries, 63% (34/54) participated in surgical collaborations. The highest collaboration frequency occurred in South Africa (11%) and Nigeria (8%). However, most publications originated from Eastern Africa (43%). Leveraging synergies between high- and low- to middle-income countries (LMICs), well-defined structures, and secure data platforms facilitated collaboration. However, the underrepresentation of collaborators from LMICs was a significant challenge. Conclusion: Available literature provides critical insights into the facilitating factors and challenges of research collaboration with Africa. However, there is a need for a detailed prospective study to explore the themes highlighted further. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO 2022 CRD42022352115. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the global tourism industry necessitated several responses from policymakers in order to support the industry's recovery and post-pandemic growth. Southern Africa hosts tourism-sensitive and connected economies, with many tourists who arrive in one country, often visiting neighbouring countries. Using the United Nations World Tourism Organisation's policy framework for COVID-19 mitigation, recovery, and stability for the tourism industry, this paper critically examined the Southern Africa's level of support for mitigating the impact of the pandemic and their recovery strategies for the tourism industry. Data were collected from publicly available policy and strategic documents. Findings reveal non-compliance to referenced benchmarks, lack of regional policy direction from SADC, and divergent levels of support among the member countries. The paper recommends, among others, a revision of the SADC's regional tourism programme, collaborative tourism governance through increased regional integration, and improved destination attractiveness of the Southern African region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 pandemic has been a real challenge and severe test of International Relations. It has been also a chance to gain or lose points in inter-power rivalry in Africa, which is full of contradictions. On the one hand, rich in human and natural resources, including energy ones. On the other hand, full of poverty, poor infrastructure (including health infrastructure), internal conflicts and political and economic instability what have a bad influence on the world economy and security. China, which nowadays is perceived as one of the most aggressive competitors in Africa, seems to conduct highly consistent policy towards this continent without any break, even in time of COVID-19 pandemic. This paper is an attempt to analyse Chinese activities in Africa at that time in context of global competition in this area and to evaluate how much they can influence China’s position there. Thus, after a brief historical background, it presents the most significant formal events and declarations between both partners, along with Chinese “mask and vaccine diplomacy” towards Africa from early 2020 until the beginning of 2023. The elements like soft power actions were especially under consideration in this analysis as these ones that are the most effective in the contemporary global policy, or at least equally fruitful as hard power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Africa has been known to experience series of problems among which are poverty, food insecurity, lack of access to energy, lack of infrastructure among others. These problems were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has had a severe impact on the socioeconomic status of households in Africa. This paper examines the relationship between socioeconomic shocks, social protection, and household food security during the pandemic in Nigeria, the Africa's largest economy. Using the World Bank's COVID-19 national longitudinal baseline phone survey (2020) for the analysis and applied the multinomial logit regression, the study finds that socioeconomic shocks resulting from the pandemic have led to an increased level of food insecurity. Social protection programmes have played a crucial role in mitigating the impact of these shocks on households. However, the study also highlights the need for more targeted and effective social protection policies to ensure that vulnerable households are adequately protected from the adverse effects of the pandemic. The findings of this study have important implications for policymakers and stakeholders in Africa's largest economy, as they seek to address the challenges posed by the pandemic and promote household food security for the actualisation the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of food and nutrition security (SDG2). The study, therefore, recommends that efforts be made to preserve food supply chains by mitigating the pandemic's effect on food systems, increasing food production, and looking forward beyond the pandemic by building resilient food systems with the use of social protection interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper critically examines post-crisis efforts by focusing on the African Development Bank's (AfDB) role in facilitating recovery and poverty reduction across the African continent. Case studies include the COVID-19 crisis, migration, and efforts to battle regional hunger. The analysis contrasts the approaches of the AfDB's strategies with that of the World Bank's Structural Adjustment Programs (SAPs), underscoring the former's unique successes and efficiencies in addressing the specific needs of the continent to reduce poverty. The analysis begins by contextualizing the historical and socio-economic landscape, highlighting African countries' distinct challenges with structural adjustment and debt, and then delves into a detailed assessment of the AfDB's initiatives. This paper suggests that the AfDB's customized strategies could be more effective for Africa's development agenda due to their alignment with the continent's varied cultural, political, and economic landscapes. This approach, prioritizing contextual relevance over a sole focus on economic growth, is argued to be more conducive to addressing Africa's unique developmental challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infrastructure assets are vital for economic development and integration, but they also encompass political risks. In Africa, infrastructure assets have remained a paradox where there is great potential for opportunities but very few projects get to the final phases. Adequate infrastructure can propagate the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals whilst supporting recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. Drawing from a longitudinal data set from 2000 to 2021 for 35 African countries, the paper empirically examined the nexus between infrastructure and political risk. Several techniques were employed to determine the dynamic effect, cointegration and causality between infrastructure and political risk. Controlling for the potential endogeneity in infrastructure the system Generalized Method of Moments, the relationship between political risk and infrastructure was ascertained. Furthermore, the ARDL-PMG was employed to determine the cointegration and causal relationship between infrastructure and political risk. The results suggest a cointegration between infrastructure assets and political risk. Infrastructure adjusts to changes in political risk to its long-run equilibrium at a speed of adjustment of 16.9 per cent. Bridging infrastructure gaps in Africa requires an extensive set of actions. Thus, the policy derivatives of our findings, suggest controlling the proliferation of political risk to support infrastructure investment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: In the African context, the threat of the disruption of traditional business value-creation processes, currently facilitated by the growing information technology (IT) ecosystem, came with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Thus, this paper aims to investigate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on interfirm relationships within the context of the digital ecosystem in Africa. Design/methodology/approach: This study employs an explanatory–exploratory qualitative approach from an interpretivist stance to investigate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on interfirm relationships. The authors conducted seven in-depth interviews with top management executives in a Nigerian technology company, together with the company's archival data that provided the pre, during and post pandemic (2018–2021) business-to-business (B2B) relationship structures, to determine how these relationships have been affected. Findings: The results suggest that the pandemic had a minimal effect on partnership relationships in the B2B ecosystems of the case company but affected only non-partnership relationships. Research limitations/implications: The authors' qualitative study is interpretive and the sample size is limited. Hence, there is a need for caution in generalizing the findings. The framework can be further validated across a wider population. Practical implications: Partnerships can help organizations weather business crises. Consequently, organizations should maintain a healthy number of partnership relations to deal with periods in which challenges emerge in the business landscape. In other words, with tight contracts and a strategic focus on goals and objectives, partnership relations can help organizations weather business crises. Originality/value: This study builds upon the burgeoning body of literature on digital ecosystems within the African context, which is a relevant contextual contribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study's objective is to explore advertising dynamics and destination evolution in tourism promotion for Africa. A literature review approach using integrative literature method and content analysis were deployed. The results have indicated that as destinations evolve across different countries in Africa, the advertising dynamics exhibit either path dependency or path creation while other destinations display double trajectories of both path dependency and path creation in tourism promotion. The implication is for tourism stakeholders particularly destination marketing organisations to consider the advertising dynamics as their destinations evolve in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) era so that repeat visitors fall back in love with tourism in Africa as well as attract first time visitors. The novelty of this paper is the contribution to knowledge in the scope of tourism in Africa by exploring advertising dynamics and destination evolution in the context of Africa tourism promotion and specifically explores forms of advertising dynamics and destination evolution in Africa's tourism promotion guided by the Evolutionary Economic Geography (EEG) theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses multidisciplinary international research collaboration team formation during the COVID-19 pandemic, challenges faced, strategies adopted, achievements and dynamics in the implementation of research on Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), by the African Translational Research Group (ATReG). The paper also discusses the lessons learnt and future opportunities for global collaborative research. In-depth virtual interviews were conducted with consenting members of ATReG. Questions were designed to provide rich, deep, and insightful opinions, lived experiences and perspectives of ATReG group members on group formation, challenges, strategies and achievements. Interview data was transcribed and analysed thematically, and the results were presented with important quotations presented. The ATReG consisted of English (n = 13) and French (n = 1) speaking sub-Saharan African (SSA) researchers who specialise in public health, epidemiology, optometry, information technology, supply chain management, psychiatry, community health, general medical practice, nutrition and biostatistics. Most members of the group reported an informal but well-coordinated structure of the group. Formed during the pandemic, all group meetings were held online, and many members are yet to meet each other in person. The group collected data from Africans and published 10 peer reviewed journal articles on COVID-19 within two years. It presented in international conferences, engaged with the media and the public and was awarded a national competitive funding in Nigeria all of which which contributed to career progression and academic promotion of some members. There have been challenges in sustaining the research collaboration and maintaining productivity. Challenges include difficulties meeting deadlines and obtaining funding for research activities. However, these challenges have been addressed through a collaborative problem-solving approach. The study found the need for operational and methodological flexibility, centralised coordination, and established funding sources as being essential for long term sustainability and performance of the group. The ATReG's objective of providing useful data on COVID-19 and generating useful knowledge about COVID-19 in SSA has been achieved. In such a multi-disciplinary international collaborative team relaiant on the online medium to operate, the experiences and challenges can be a model for learning for researchers intending to form international multidisciplinary collaborative groups. Nonetheless, there are still many important areas of research which ATReG will continue to pursue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This policy paper highlights several macro issues with African higher education, including inadequate funding, governance challenges, and a lack of access to digital infrastructure compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic. The paper also notes the historical and continuing impact of colonialism on Africa’s education systems and women’s challenges in accessing higher education. The author emphasizes the importance of investing in human capital and improving the quality of primary education to strengthen Africa’s human resource base and advance economic development. The paper calls for a paradigm shift in education policy and practice, underscoring pragmatism over ideology and focusing on building the capacity for sustained development through training in science, engineering, medicine, and agriculture. The author also highlights the need to address gender inequalities in access to higher education and diversify institutional models to meet the demands of the digital age. Ultimately, the paper calls for a concerted effort to improve funding, governance, and quality across African higher education institutions, leveraging partnerships and innovations to expand access and promote excellence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Millions of people living with disabilities in Africa already face a heightened risk of poverty, which will likely be exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic unless interventions to address its social and economic impacts are disability inclusive. This paper draws on research on health and living circumstances of people with disabilities in Africa in the context of human and disability rights as enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). The paper also explores the pathways through which the current pandemic may increase the risk of poverty amongst people with disabilities, such as loss of income from disruptions to work, particularly in the informal sector, and higher future spending and productivity losses from disruptions to health care and other key services (e.g., rehabilitation, assistive devices). It also explores how social and economic responses to contain and respond to the pandemic should consider and be inclusive of the needs of people with disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prior to the spread of the coronavirus to Africa, the continent was warned about its potential severity. Consequently, when the coronavirus was reported in Africa, African countries also resorted to lockdowns in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the midst of the lockdowns, Europe, the United States, and other countries outside Africa continued to record high numbers of coronavirus infections and deaths compared with African countries. From the standpoints of the historical school of economics and the dependency theory, this paper argues that peculiar structures and mechanisms in Africa fortify the continent against the coronavirus, which is why infections and deaths are relatively low in Africa. Through an examination of the existing body of literature on the historical school of economics, the dependency theory, the coronavirus, and other related literature, this paper identifies high temperatures in Africa, Africa's youthful population, frequent exposure of Africans to diseases, and consumption by Africans of a wide range of herbs and crop plants with curative properties as those peculiar structures and mechanisms. The paper concludes that the rush by African leaders in adopting lockdowns as responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, in the midst of the rising numbers of coronavirus infections and its related deaths in the countries from which the lockdowns were borrowed, exemplifies the reluctance of African leaders in breaking away from the one-sizefits-all approach to solving problems in the continent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The paper is a preliminary assessment of coronavirus disease's (COVID-19) effects on African trade, policy responses and opportunities within the limitations imposed by data and the information currently available and in the lights of other international organizations' growth forecasts. The study was undertaken to get deeper understanding of the threats and opportunities of COVID-19 on African trade because of the existing interconnected trade networks making African countries to be more vulnerable and increasing number of restrictions and distortions among major traders. This study aims to present strong information required in underpinning sound national, regional and inter-regional policy responses to keep trade flowing. Design/methodology/approach: To assess COVID-19's effects on African trade, policy responses and opportunities, this study relied on data and information currently available from organizations such as World Trade Organization (WTO), World Bank (WB), Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, International Monetary Fund, European Union, International Trade Statistics and various African countries' trade and national statistics publications. The analysis contains two main scenarios. The first, an observed effects scenario (first quarter of year 2020), looks at the observed effect of COVID-19 outbreak on trade in Africa. The second, a potential effects scenario, analyses the potential trade effects if the COVID-19 outbreak lingers and spreads more intensively than is assumed in the baseline scenario. Findings: The COVID-19 outbreak affects several aspects of international trade even though the full effects of the outbreak are not yet visible in most trade data. Some leading indicators had shown that keeping trade flow can support the fight against COVID-19 as well as having damaging effect on Africa's trade. COVID-19 had led to a deep fall in transaction, both at the international level and within-regions. Tariffs and other restrictions to imports harm the flow of critical products to African countries. Uncooperative trade policies lead to higher prices of goods in fragile and vulnerable African countries. Research limitations/implications: Long term in-depth analysis of the effects of COVID-19 on trade using quantitative data is still very difficult because of paucity of data and the great level of the improbability of the trajectory of the spread of the virus. Informed assessment of the full trade impact of the pandemic on African countries is therefore still difficult. Notwithstanding, this study assesses the immediate effects and conveys the likely extent of impending African trade pains and the potential needs for assistance. Practical implications: Trade in both goods and services plays a key role in overcoming the pandemic and limit its effects by providing access to essential medical goods to treat those affected, ensuring access to food, providing farmers with needed inputs, support jobs and sustain economic activity during global recession. However, temporary COVID-19 trade measures such as borders closure, export prohibition and import ban are a threat to globalization and free trade agreements engaged by some African countries. Social implications: The continuous rise in COVID-19 cases is expected to trigger economic recession in Africa despite a rapid expansion and creation of new social protection programmes. The unavoidable decline in trade caused by COVID-19 is already having painful consequences on the economy, social anxiety among families, households, businesses and trade across countries in the continent. COVID-19 trade restrictions aimed at reducing the transmission of the virus have led to loss of income and jobs as well as closure of small and vulnerable businesses. Policymakers should enforce social policies that unite countries within the continents in bad times to reduce social anxiety and hardship. Originality/value: Although the effects of COVID-19 outbreak on global and regional trade have received enormous attention recently, facts in the form of data have been thin particularly on African trade. This paper, to the best of the authors' knowledge, is one of the first set of studies that provides preliminary assessment of COVID-19's effects on trade in Africa using scenarios-building approach based on the available data and information on regional trade, complemented by those from the WTO, WB and departments of trade and statistics from various African countries such as the Nigeria Nation Bureau of Statistic and Kenyan National Bureau of Statistics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how the COVID-19 pandemic has differentially affected the productivity of researchers from different backgrounds and showcase the factors that are responsible for these inequalities. Data for this study were collected using an electronic questionnaire via Qualtrics, distributed to researchers across Africa. Three hundred and eleven Participants completed the questionnaire in August/September 2020. Our results show that although overall time spent working during COVID-19 has increased, this has not translated into enhanced levels of productivity. Researchers are spending about 22 hours per week extra working than before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Male researchers were able to spend more time on publications, patents, and consulting activities than their female counterparts.. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the time-varying connectedness between oil prices and the stock prices in African markets. We employ a wavelet-based dynamic conditional correlation framework, which allows us to look into the time-varying correlation between oil and African stock markets in time and frequency domains. Empirical results show the interdependence between oil prices and African stock market prices are time-varying and spread across various wavelet scales. More importantly, the dynamic relationship between oil prices and stock returns in these countries varies more frequently and at a lower level in the short run. However, we find the long and medium-range co-movements between them except during the Covid-19 period when short-term integration increased considerably, which might help portfolio managers and investors mitigate risk. We identify the hedge ratios and optimal portfolio weights for practical implications based on the said assets' dynamic conditional correlation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Africa has become a significant focus for many international partners, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic, which has led to changes in how the continent engages with its partners. With numerous countries in Asia, external partners have made consistent efforts to establish their presence on the continent. Japan is one such Asian country that has sought to expand its influence in Africa, especially in response to China’s significant presence on the continent. The COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected different sectors of the African economy; hence, there is a focus on creating future policies that allow resilience related to such pandemics and any unpredicted future global crises like the current one caused by the Ukrainian war. Similar to others, Japan is prepared to strengthen its engagements with African countries as they align their interests with Agenda 2063, differentiating them from China’s debt approach. Despite Japan being in the region well before the COVID-19 pandemic, it continues to make efforts to increase its presence following the recent Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) held in Tunisia. This has reaffirmed Japan’s intentions and goals despite the competitive presence of China in the continent. This paper aims to analyse TICAD 8 and its consequences on African development. What promises has Japan made, and how will they lead to a developed Africa? How is Japan’s approach to bringing development to Africa different from that of other Asian partners? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper offers an overview of some of the highlights of the 2023 NISO Plus Annual Conference that was held virtually from February 14–February 16, 2023. This was the fourth such conference and the third to be held in a completely virtual format due to the global impact of COVID-19. These conferences have resulted from the merger of NISO and the National Federation of Abstracting and Information Services (NFAIS) in June 2019, replacing the NFAIS Annual Conferences and offering a new, more interactive format. As with prior years, there was no general topical theme (although the importance of metadata was a common thread throughout), but there were topics of interest for everyone working in the information ecosystem - from the practical subjects of standards, archiving, digital preservation, Open Science, and Open Access. With speakers and attendees from around the world and across multiple time zones and continents, it truly was a global conversation! [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the huge surge of African migrants in the West, especially in the post Covid-19 era, it becomes important to investigate these migrants' experiences as portrayed in literary texts by writers. Hence, this research examines the representation of migrant challenges in African literature through a critical discourse on two contemporary novels: Abdulrazak Gurnah's Gravel Heart and Helon Habila's Travelers. Adopting Homi Bhabha's theory, hybridity, the study focuses on how these literary works depict the struggles of African Migrants as they navigate and interpret both cultures-West/African while in the diaspora in order to survive. The discourse highlights the issues of displacement, dislocation, alignment, cultural identity, and the struggle for survival in a foreign land. By exploring the similarities and differences between the two novels, the paper reveals the complexity and diversity of African migrant experiences as it provides insights into the broader issues of globalization, colonialism, and migration. Ultimately, the research argues that African literature plays a crucial role in shaping our understanding of the migrant experiences and in promoting social justice and human rights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study has collected information of 145 countries to predict the effect of cases per million (CPM), tests per million (TPM), and proportion of people aged 65 and above (PAO) on the number of deaths per million DPM at the country and continent level. In addition, it evaluates the economic cost of tests, deaths, COVID‐19 cases in terms of reduction in GDP growth rate across the countries. This paper uses a different econometrics model, including analysis of variance (ANOVA), regression, and multinomial regression model. The robust regression model with M and MM‐estimation was also used due to leverage and residuals in country wise GDP database. A significant difference was found in deaths per million (DPM), TPM, number of COVID‐19 cases (CPM), and percentage of people aged 65 and above (PAO) across continents. The DPM is negatively associated with TPM, and it was relatively more effective in reducing DPM in Africa (0.32%) as compared to Asia (0.25%) and Europe (0.28). The results show that a 1% increase in the elderly population causes a 0.62% increase in DPM in Africa, while it caused a 2.31% increase in Europe. The study will be helpful in ascertaining the impact of these indicators in this pandemic and help in policy formation and decision‐making strategies to fight the COVID19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several attempts have been made by the global public health efforts and national governments to contain the spread and vulnerabilities to COVID-19. Evidence, however, shows a disproportionate upsurge in COVID-19 cases in correctional facilities such as prisons, particularly, in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The poor adherence to COVID-19 preventive protocols in these settings has raised a serious "moral panic" among the public. There are public health concerns about the most effective and state-of-the-art approach to tackling the continuous spread of the virus in prisons. This paper discusses the feasibility of depopulation and vaccination rollouts in combating COVID-19 in correctional facilities with a particular focus on African prisons. The paper proposes selective and strategic depopulation of prisoners, effective prioritization of vaccination among prisoners, and general sensitization of prisoners toward vaccine disbursement in this total institution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the risk of oversimplification, virtually all research that scrutinizes COVID-19 is propelled by identical points of departures which chief in their assessment, portray how the pandemic accentuates the likelihood of illiberal or autocratic regimes tightening restrictions upon civil liberties. This paper is no different as it is predicated along this initial starting point but is also carrying an ambition to bring to light how the pandemic context, perhaps counterintuitively has also provided authoritarian governments with the platform to uptake provisions that bring about a veneer of civil rights and the potential which this vacillation between increasingly authoritarian and considerably liberal approaches in handling the virus generates. This paper is offset by Foucault's theorizing on Governmentality and illuminates on how African governments have responded to the virus in the textbook manner Foucault envisages. In so doing, it challenges the generally advanced idea that Governmentality is only applicable in Western liberal contexts by looking at African countries response to the COVID-19 pandemic that has enlisted classic Governmentality techniques such as disciplinary power, surveillance and power/knowledge monopoly by African states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Priority setting represents an even bigger challenge during public health emergencies than routine times. This is because such emergencies compete with routine programmes for the available health resources, strain health systems and shift health-care attention and resources towards containing the spread of the epidemic and treating those that fall seriously ill. This paper is part of a larger global study, the aim of which is to evaluate the degree to which national COVID-19 preparedness and response plans incorporated priority setting concepts. It provides important insights into what and how priority decisions were made in the context of a pandemic. Specifically, with a focus on a sample of 18 African countries' pandemic plans, the paper aims to: (1) explore the degree to which the documented priority setting processes adhere to established quality indicators of effective priority setting and (2) examine if there is a relationship between the number of quality indicators present in the pandemic plans and the country's economic context, health system and prior experiences with disease outbreaks. All the reviewed plans contained some aspects of expected priority setting processes but none of the national plans addressed all quality parameters. Most of the parameters were mentioned by less than 10 of the 18 country plans reviewed, and several plans identified one or two aspects of fair priority setting processes. Very few plans identified equity as a criterion for priority setting. Since the parameters are relevant to the quality of priority setting that is implemented during public health emergencies and most of the countries have pre-existing pandemic plans; it would be advisable that, for the future (if not already happening), countries consider priority setting as a critical part of their routine health emergency and disease outbreak plans. Such an approach would ensure that priority setting is integral to pandemic planning, response and recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to ignite a conversation on the challenges of the ongoing 'novel' surrounding the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic in the Southern Africa region. The global COVID-19 pandemic started with the outbreak in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. It is understood that different countries, regions and territories will have different, context-specific challenges in fighting the pandemic. These will differ from country to country and therefore necessitates contextual research. By sharing African perspectives on swift action against this coronavirus, this paper is intended to appraise the nexus between the coronavirus and tourism in order to prepare tourism practitioners for the recovery strategies that will be needed to address the damages caused by the pandemic. This paper points to tourism researchers focusing on the Southern African region and possible key areas for further research as the coronavirus situation unfolds. It draws from published material and document analysis, including from academic research, media reports and social media platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to analyze how Nigeria, the 86th ranked State according to the Global Health Security Index (GHS Index), fared through the Covid-19 pandemic by linking its Ebola experience to the pandemic response. The paper will tackle (one of) these questions: Does their response as a State truly reflect the ranking? Or were they, like the rest of the world, truly unprepared and powerless against the outbreak? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the potential abuse and mistreatment against older adults by informal caregivers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa. The COVID-19 pandemic has distorted many informal caregivers' roles, which require serious adjustment for reducing caregiving stress and burden. Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic has created challenging situations in caregiving spaces, which have the tendency to cause informal caregivers to abuse older adults. However, research on elder abuse and mistreatment, up to this point, remains underexplored in Africa. We, therefore, call for a deeper research and interrogation on the pathways and dynamics of violence and abuse against older adults in Africa. We also raise awareness of increased risks of domestic elder abuse and neglect during COVID-19 to stimulate the interest of social welfare institutions in understanding this phenomenon and its prevalence in Africa. We argue that the COVID-19 pandemic should serve as an avenue for governments, social welfare institutions, public health authorities, civil society and traditional leaders in African countries to develop a comprehensive programme and create public awareness to protect older adults against abuse, violence and neglect. The practical ways of minimising the effect of COVID-19 on domestic elder abuse in African settings are further discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ascend West and Central Africa programme, funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is supporting integrated preventative chemotherapy for up to five neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), including intestinal worms, lymphatic filariasis, river blindness, trachoma and schistosomiasis. The programme is implemented across 13 countries by a consortium of four leading international development partners: Sightsavers, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Schistosomiasis Control Initiative Foundation and Mott Macdonald. This paper presents messages learnt from country assessments that took place prior to the global outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). These messages remain relevant post-COVID-19, with greater priority being given to the challenges for national NTD programmes in continuing to deliver mass drug administration (MDA) during the pandemic. Stakeholder coordination from the earliest stages of the pandemic has occurred at two levels: in the first mile with global partners of the NTD Supply Chain Forum and in the last mile with implementing partners in each country. This has been instrumental to manage delayed MDA, including the impact delays have on the shipment of NTD donated drugs and the distribution of stock held in country. The Ascend West and Central Africa programme is supporting countries with the resumption of MDA through a risk assessment and mitigation action (RAMA) process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent outbreak of COVID-19 resulted in high fatality rates globally and huge socio-economic consequences. Vaccine development was considered as the most effective and fastest means to reduce the risks associated with the disease. All hands were on deck for effective vaccine development which resulted in several countries including African countries participating in the vaccine solidarity trial. At the heat of the pandemic in 2021, Africa with a population of 1.4 billion had 134.5 million supplies of COVID-19 vaccines. The United States in contrast with a population of 332 million had over 375 million doses of the vaccine. This was one of the factors that hindered most African countries from meeting up with the World Health Organization (WHO) target of 40% fully vaccinated individuals by December 2021. Even in some African countries where there were early and good supplies, there was vaccine wastage due to near to expire vaccines supplied to such countries which resulted in misconception and rejection of the vaccines among the public. This paper discussed the politics of COVID-19 vaccine production and distribution with its effects on Africa using documentary analysis. The paper also suggests strategic bold steps needed to be taken by African countries to decolonize public health response within the continent in preparation for future pandemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China’s increased engagements in Africa over the past two decades have been as notable as they have been controversial. While some have predicted China’s economic stagnation as a result of issues such as debt, supply chain shortening as a result of the impacts of COVID and the impact of strict lockdowns in that country, others see its economy dramatically rebounding. However, it appears that Chinese lending to Africa has now peaked and is in precipitous decline. Other indicators of economic engagement have also decreased and other powers are also now vigorously contesting for space on the continent. This paper examines whether or not we are now in a period “post-peak China in Africa” and the reconfiguration of strategies of influence. The original Ian Taylor Memorial Lecture under the same title held on April 27, 2023 at the University of Pécs has been edited and headings added for clarity, and references included/provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both developing and developed countries have felt the impact of COVID-19 on global politics and trade. The African continent faces new threats in addition to already existing challenges like poor infrastructure, underdevelopment and weak institutions. Through an analysis of official speeches and UN reports on the emerging developments around COVID-19, this paper explores the impact of the pandemic on Africa and answers the critical question of the potential and place for Africa's international relations in a post-COVID world. While many argue that COVID-19 has further deepened the gap between Africa and the developed world, this paper argues that it has also created opportunities for innovation and a re-emergence of Africa as a more vital continent in global politics and far removed from its colonial legacy. This study finds that Africa's vast resources and wealth of experts; its innovative local industries and rapid response potential; its active community and grassroots; its committed private sector; the work of the African Union; the continent's geopolitical and economic position, and its many lessons position it to be a strong player in a post-COVID world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Africa has a history of grappling with outbreaks and high prevalence of disease. It currently confronts COVID-19 which is escalating because of local community transmission of the disease. Poorly resourced health systems in Africa are ill-prepared for the surging number of COVID-19 cases. This paper emphasizes that in the current battle against COVID-19, policymakers should not lose sight of future policy challenges. COVID-19 vaccine has become available, but patent exclusivities might play a major role in hindering access to it. With little or no indigenous pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity of its own, Africa will almost entirely rely on importing COVID-19 vaccines or treatment from third parties. The World Trade Organization's (WTO's) Paragraph 6 System, which relates to export-oriented compulsory licensing, is excessively formal and does not suit a pandemic situation which requires swift action. This paper draws policymakers' attention of to a high priority policy concern for Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper studies the effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic on African economies and household welfare using a top‐down sequential macro‐micro simulation approach. The pandemic is modeled as a supply shock that disrupts economic activities of African countries and then affects households' consumption behavior, the level of their welfare, and businesses' investment decisions. The macroeconomic dynamic general equilibrium model is calibrated to account for informality, a key feature of African economies. We find that COVID‐19 could diminish employment in the formal and informal sectors and contract consumption of non‐savers and, especially, savers. These contractions would lead to an economic recession in Africa and widen both fiscal and current account deficits. Extreme poverty is expected to increase further in Africa, in particular if the welfare of the poorest households grows at lower rates. We also use the macroeconomic model to analyze the effects of different fiscal policy responses to the COVID‐19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article assesses the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the social and economic situation in Africa. The data used in this paper was generated from online survey questionnaire, in which the participants were asked questions about how COVID-19 has affected their socio-economic lives. The questionnaire was designed to help Africa to understand COVID-19 impacts. The results reveal that COVID-19 affected Africa in the following ways: 1) 51.6% responded that coronavirus affected their job search; 2) over the past three months, 47.1% of the respondents said their private financial situation remained unchanged; 3) 61% did not trust the existence of COVID-19; 5) according to this online survey administered using Google form, 51.8% of the respondents said the services sectors are the most impacted sectors, followed by industrial sector, 31.3%, and agriculture is least affected sector at 8.4%. Policy implication is that it has serious impacts on socio-economics interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scientific evidence on the safety and efficacy of pharmaceutical drugs, substances and herbal medicines is important in medical advertising and promotion. Following guidelines for conducting a scoping review, we systematically searched PubMed, SCOPUS and Web of Science to identify in peer reviewed articles medications that were promoted and used widely in Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic. We also searched for information about how safety concerns about untested/or not properly tested drugs were communicated to the public during the pandemic. Of the 2043 articles identified, 41 papers were eligible for inclusion. Most studies were clinical trials (n = 11), systematic reviews (n = 9), quantitative studies (n = 9) the rest were qualitative studies, reviews and reports. We found that following global trends, several drugs, traditional and herbal treatments were used and repurposed for the treatment of respiratory symptoms of COVID-19 in Africa. The results highlighted the value of some herbal medicines for treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the risks posed by the unregulated sharing of advice and recommendations on treatments in Africa, and globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The crisis due to Covid-19 has taken a toll which is devastating on the lives of human beings, healthy and economies worldwide, coming at a difficult time for democracy in Africa. The viral spread in Africa began with a range of varied reactions from declarations of state of emergency to lockdowns. While such responses are necessary in terms of public health, from a political perspective particularly in African countries mired with security and political turbulence as well as upcoming several elections this creates challenges. Society's opportunity to remove or confirm representatives in elected positions within a timeframe which is defined constitutionally, is a principle of democratic standards and values. An election process is an event which is done communally by bringing people together contrary to the wisdom of preventive transmission measures of Covid-19 virus. Institutions of democracy must make informed functional decisions in this extraordinary time. Using a hermeneutic phenomenological qualitative methodology, secondary data was collected from research papers, expert reports and media subjected to a content analysis. The study investigated the governance of sustainable elections during the Covid-19 pandemic in Africa. It revealed that this pandemic seriously affects, voter turnout, election campaigning and the polling process among others. The study provides strategic considerations and implications for election management bodies (EMBs), civil society and governments on the democratic governance of elections in the midst of the Covid-19 prevalence without compromising public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Cumhuriyet Medical Journal is the property of Cumhuriyet Medical Journal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The COVID-19 pandemic severely affected everyday life in Africa, a continent that is known for its high levels of religious belief. Using a corpus of news articles and the social representations research paradigm, this study examines African understandings of the pandemic. It uses installation theory, the wind rose model and the accommodation hypothesis to explore the coexistence between science and belief. The accommodation hypothesis demonstrates that the representations were hierarchical, to elevate God above science. Faith leaders also used the pandemic to enhance faith by blaming sin and urging repentance or blaming science by espousing conspiracy theories about the pandemic being a grand design to draw believers away from God. This paper highlights the great disparity in experience between Africa and the West, initially fuelling conspiracy theories. The findings also reinforce two key conceptual approaches: installation theory on the influence of rules imposed by society on behaviour, and the wind rose model in which representations change over time and in response to social interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Most economies in African countries are informal. As such, households in these countries tend to face higher levels of informality coupled with a lack of social protection, and have no replacement income or savings in the event of unexpected external shocks, such as COVID-19. Thus, the COVID-19 shock and its negative economic effects triggered a cascade of income losses and bankruptcies that pushed a significant share of households in African countries into poverty. This research analyzes the effect of poverty on the spread of COVID-19 using a sample of 52 African countries. Methods: To achieve the objective of this research, this paper uses a multiple linear regression model and a sample of 52 African countries observed in 2020 to conduct a cross-country analysis. More importantly, two COVID-19 indicators (total number of officially reported cases and disease severity) and six poverty indicators (average poverty, poverty incidence, poverty depth, poverty severity, multidimensional poverty index, and extreme poverty) were used in this research. Results: The results show a positive and significant relationship between poverty and the spread of COVID-19. Conclusions: These results suggest that more attention needs to be paid to poor populations in African countries during the pandemic. These populations are generally vulnerable, and there is a need for support programs targeting them to be put in place quickly. These programs may include food aid, distribution of supplies, health care support, fee waivers, and interest deferrals. In addition, sensitization of these disadvantaged groups on vaccination against COVID-19 to achieve herd immunity is strongly encouraged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]