BY MICHEL TEDILI | FRANCE 24 HEURES
A country that is achieving excellent results in preventing and managing the COVID-19 epidemic is Eritrea. A small African country long demonized because of its independence and its resilience against any foreign interference.
With only 39 positive cases including 37 recovered and no deaths, this is the country that deserves our congratulations and respect.
We wanted to know more about the reasons for this success by interviewing the international organizations present in the country. The responses obtained can be summarized as follows:
– Patriotic and disciplined population which has been actively mobilized to face the challenges posed by this pandemic
– Continuous and effective awareness-raising action by the media
– Effective prevention management on the part of the Government, which has rapidly closed the air, sea and land borders by putting all those who have arrived since the beginning of the epidemic in quarantine
– Effective measures to support families during the confinement period through direct assistance from the Government and Eritrean citizens in the country and the diaspora
– Support and care for the most vulnerable by local communities.
With a population of 4.5 million, a government that has made equal opportunities for all its citizens, the pole star of its policy which translates into free education and health for all, Eritrea is an example to follow in Africa.
After the peace deal with Ethiopia and the resumption of relations with the international community, we foresee a very promising future there.
Already, housing, road, port, sanitation, and hotel construction programs will create hundreds of thousands of jobs and encourage the return of a diaspora that has always been recognized for its patriotism and dynamism.
How are some #African countries flattening the #COVID19 curve? Leveraging #socialcapital, says the brilliant @wakiaga from @UNDPEritrea. ht @tekerebanelimhttps://t.co/bqzlHah27W
— Development Reimagined™ (@DevReimagined) May 7, 2020
Eritrea is currently maintaining a lockdown imposed to contain the spread of the virus. The result, they successfully flatten the curve and so far Zero Covid-19 death, less number infected and no new cases reported recently. Why? This image gives you the answer. pic.twitter.com/41qzLlrgaD
— Dhr. Yusuf Duale (@shandarmood) May 9, 2020
#Eritrea’s prevention focused, community based #COVID19 fight has so far produced good results. But the virus could still be imported from neighbors or spread locally. So let’s resist complacency and redouble our efforts. #EritreaFightsCOVID19
— EritreanViews (@EritreanViews) May 9, 2020
Belated thanks @wakiaga for writing this. Eritrea has had a very good initial response to Covid19 (even as we understand these are still early days and we will have to live with the virus for some time). And so import for us all to document the experience. https://t.co/7kQXqSzwIN
— Susan Namondo Ngongi (@SusanNamondo) May 10, 2020
