The African Union and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) launched a public-private partnership with the AfroChampions Initiative, known as the COVID-19 Response Fund.
Coronavirus has alerted the African Union and Africa CDC such that they saw the need for Africa to have an emergency bank where money will be taken out to help any African country in need or in case of outbreaks such as the coronavirus.
This partnership therefore aims at raising an initial US$150 million for immediate needs to prevent transmission and up to US$400 million to support sustainable medical response to the COVID-19 pandemic by pooling the resources required for the procurement of medical supplies and commodities.
The partnership is also raising this money to support the deployment of rapid responders across the continent as well as providing socio-economic support to the most vulnerable populations in Africa.
The Africa COVID-19 Response Fund will act as a financial instrument that will mobilise funds from the private sector in Africa and allow other well-wishers to support the African bank with no questions asked.
As wished by the Response Fund, priority action will be taken to purchase and distribute key equipment for diagnosis, treatment and protection of caregivers, as well as implement a broad awareness campaign on prevention among African populations. A part of the funds raised will be allocated to fragile communities in the least developed countries.
“While we continue to welcome expertise and feedback from regions already engaged in the fight against the coronavirus, we must also establish an autonomous strike force. Other regions in the world are already paying a heavy tribute to COVID-19 and their support will be limited. Therefore African money and African expertise must be mobilized,” commented Chairperson of the AU and President of the Republic of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa.
