Rural communities in Africa should not be forgotten in responses to COVID-19.

ABSTRACT

Rural areas in Africa make up a large proportion of the continent. Since the emergence of COVID-19 on the continent, major attention and responses have been placed on urban areas. Rural areas are typified by certain challenges which may serve as limitations to the provision of resources and tools for COVID-19 responses in these areas. These major challenges include limited access to these areas due to poor road networks which may hamper the possibility of conveying resources and manpower. Shortage of healthcare workforce in these areas, poor health facilities/structures and limited access to COVID-19 diagnostics services may also make containment challenging. It is therefore important that investment should be made in these areas towards providing the necessary tools, resources, and manpower to ensure effective containment of COVID-19 and to alleviate the plight caused by the pandemic in rural Africa. Rural communities in Africa should not be left behind in COVID-19 responses.