WaterAid statement on 1 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Africa

Confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Africa have reached 1 million, although the WHO has warned the real figure is likely much higher.

Claire Seaward, Global Campaigns Director, WaterAid, said:

“We are increasingly concerned about the acceleration in the number of cases of COVID-19 across Africa. Although governments are doing all they can to dramatically scale up key prevention and health response measures, the situation is exacerbated by a lack of clean water and hygiene practices. In sub-Saharan Africa, nearly half of healthcare facilities have no clean water and therefore extremely limited ability to care for patients safely and help stop the spread of COVID-19.  

“There is still too little being done on the fundamental basics of infection control, with the vast majority of donor money targeted towards vaccines and therapeutics. Whilst essential for ending this pandemic, they may come too late for millions across Africa who lack water to wash their hands, or are unable to social distance in informal settlements with no sanitation.  

“Even before COVID-19, there was woeful underinvestment in water, toilets and hygiene with only one quarter of families in sub-Saharan Africa having somewhere to wash their hands with soap at home. These basics are their only defence and they are being let down through global inaction. We need to see donors and governments make large-scale increases in investments into water and hygiene to ensure that every hospital has sufficient clean water and everyone has somewhere to wash their hands.”