The SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) was first reported in December 2019 in China. It has infected over 19 million people and caused more than 700,000 deaths globally. The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted endemic disease programmes in Africa, including HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, routine immunization, and non-communicable diseases. It has contributed to severe food insecurity, gender-based violence and economic slowdown as well as disruption of Africa’s Continental Free Trade Area agreement.
The First International Conference on Public Health in Africa, organized by Africa CDC, will focus on COVID-19 in Africa: one year later and allow a review of lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and opportunities to re-evaluate the new normal in public health practice in Africa.