Covid and how Africa needs to tell its own positive story

Its common knowledge among those living in Africa that the western media does a terrible job reporting about the continent.  Even with low expectations, covid has evoked stories in the newspapers that are uniquely patronizing and utterly lacking in a curiosity beyond the suburban diplomatic estates where the reporters tend live and socialize.

A recent article by the BBC suggested that scientists we’re speculating if Africans we’re suffering less from the disease because of better immune responses from tighter living conditions. The large slums were the inevitable examples.  Here is the article below:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-53998374

Even when there is the potential for a positive story about Africa, the western media wants to credit the continent’s failures for its successes.  

You don’t need a Phd to begin to question the quality of the guesswork above. The fact that Brazil and other Covid-hard hit South American countries have densely packed favelas raises the question, why would the same immunity not be found there?

And so the reporting withers and little speculation exists as to why Africa is not suffering the mass die offs that were predicted by World health officials and that justified billions of aid being sent to the region.

The BBC article insufficiently tried to address a question that remains; 'Why is Africa’s mortality rates from Covid so low?’ Since the implications of any discrepancy in a pandemics mortality rate are enormous, we must consider this line of questioning of utmost importance.  Instead of focusing solely on immediate responses which are inevitably purchase driven (buy this mask versus that one, stockpile zinc!), health officials would do their citizens a service by ALSO suggesting lifestyle changes that are proven to prevent our most common ailments such as cancer, diabetes, hypertension etc., exercise and a better diet.

What is so odd about the conversations in the media is the reluctance to look at the most obvious causes, such as how we live. Many of the countries that have suffered the worst from Covid have for many years reported higher records of obesity.  As we all know, surging worldwide obesity has lead to a plethora of health issues including all the the ones that might make a person susceptible to a more serious covid illness (one in four Americans has Diabetes and does not know it).  Africans on the other hand consume a far healthier diet, one that consists of far less fats, sugars and processed foods and far more fruits and vegetables.  Since these facts are so plain to see you might think that there would be countless positive articles crediting Africa’s diet, its lack of obesity or its low mortality rate due to diet-influenced illnesses. You would think that there would be more funded scientific speculation about diet and its influence on an immune response to something like Covid. I’ve seen exactly none. Among the most profitable companies on earth are some that make highly processed and dangerous foods. These same companies pay for most nutritional science and are likely to spend only on those findings that celebrate their products. In food science, lentils and kale, sadly are far less influential than Pringles.

In addition to diet there may also be lifestyle and demographic influences such as a younger and more fit populations that have safeguarded Africa.  We also might speculate about seasonality, antibiotic use in meat, overuse of pharmaceuticals and sterility of everything as a reason for susceptible immune responses in effected countries. 

We must remain vigilant about Covid and certainly there is nothing to rejoice when so many people across the world have suffered so miserably from this disease.  With that said I believe that it is imperative to understand the science of Covid and if Africa provides some interesting data, we should not be afraid to look very closely at it. We also must help disseminate those lessons that can be helpful.

If there is a positive lifestyle message that Africa can provide to the world then that message should be shared and as soon as possible.  When the media and world leaders are so frequently disparaging about Africa it is imperative to stand up to that narrative and present a clear and conscious counter argument.  Africa is strong and if it remains so in the face of a global pandemic that has afflicted the rest of the world, it must invite that same world to share that wisdom and even better to come see it in person.

James Christian

For a scientific analysis of Covid, mortality and immunity I might recommend the following video. It does not touch on risk factors but it appears to be a good way of considering covid numbers.