Economics
Africa Turns to Home Care With Virus Cases Inundating Hospitals
- Kenya introduces home-care plan; Nigeria plans similar steps
- South Africa sets up field hospitals as virus caseload surges
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As hopes fade that Africa will be spared the worst of the coronavirus pandemic and hospitals fill up, authorities are facing the grim reality that many severely ill patients will have to recover -- or die -- at home.
The continent accounts for less than 5% of the 7.6 million confirmed infections globally, but cases are rising rapidly as the disease takes hold in several cities where overcrowding makes physical distancing almost impossible. Spending on healthcare in Africa is about 1% of the global total, leaving hospitals ill-equipped to deal with the surge.