It is paramount for African nations to not depend solely on foreign countries for healthcare support, as the continent cannot outsource its health to other parts of the world.
This was disclosed by the President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Akinwumi Adesina, at the 76th General Assembly of the United Nations.
Adesina spoke at a virtual session, which featured the AfDB president, World Trade Organization Director-General, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and Global Infrastructure Partners’ vice-chairman and partner, Jim Yong Kim.
In a statement published on the Bank’s website, it stated, “Global leaders, in a sideline event on health during the United Nations General Assembly, voiced the urgent need to scale up Covid-19 vaccine production and access in the wake of a pandemic that has caused unprecedented economic loss and bankrupted healthcare systems in Africa.”
According to the statement, the Covid-19 pandemic hit African economies badly, with the Gross Domestic Product contracting by 2.1% in 2020, falling by 6.1% points from the pre-Covid forecasts.
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