GABORONE, Jan. 30, (Xinhua/GNA) – Southern African Development Community (SADC) Chairperson Filipe Nyusi has implored the bloc to intensify cooperation and collaboration in the fight against the second wave of COVID-19.
Nyusi said, in a statement shared through the SADC Secretariat Friday, that increased data sharing, policy harmonisation and standardisation, pooled procurement of essential medical and non-medical equipment will help the region address the pandemic in a more effective way.
“We must also reinforce our health systems so that they remain ready to deliver other life-saving services and better withstand future pandemics,” said Nyusi.
Nyusi’s plea comes as the national daily statistics show a steep increase in the spread of the virus and in the number of deaths across the region, which shows the region is deep into the second wave of the pandemic.
“There is a growing concern that infections are being driven in part by a new strain of coronavirus known as 501.V2 which has so far been reported in three SADC countries according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control,” said Nyusi, noting that more than 50 percent of all new daily infections of COVID-19 on African continent have been reported in the SADC region.
He also beseeched the blog to continue to build on strategic alliances and take additional measures that will assist SADC countries in addressing the growing challenges posed by the second wave of the pandemic.
The SADC has also been urged to enhance vaccine research capabilities and develop regional manufacturing capacity for vaccines in the future.
GNA