So far less affected than Europe or Asia, Africa is preparing to face the worsening of the coronavirus epidemic. But on this continent still marked by high poverty and health systems less supplied with suitable equipment, the health crisis could be particularly serious. This is the fear of Dr. Éric Cheysson, surgeon and president of the association "The chain of hope", which operates in more than 30 countries around the planet. "In Africa, it can be a disaster," he warns on Europe 1.
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In regular contact with his medical colleagues from various African countries, Éric Cheysson ensures that "the wave is coming" on the continent, and fears that the health crisis will be much more serious than in countries like France, where the epidemic has already more than 8,000 dead. "In France, we are already struggling to cope, but there, it can be a disaster," he explains, stressing in particular the lack of equipment and the insufficient training of nursing staff.
"Health structures already weakened"
"In France, there are problems of lack of equipment, but these are acute moments to pass and we will get there. This is what makes our health system admirable." In Africa, he continues, "do you imagine confinement? Do you imagine these already weakened health structures facing very heavy resuscitation?"
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The association has already built seven hospitals equipped with resuscitation services. "We were doing cardiac surgery, visceral surgery," says Eric Cheysson, adding that these establishments will be "transformed into Covid centers".
"You have to train the staff"
But, he insists, "we have to train the staff, because between resuscitating a child with heart surgery and resuscitating a patient with coronavirus, it is extremely difficult and it requires training". Blocked in France, the teams of "The chain of hope" are already tackling this training of staff, by video.
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Faced with this dramatic situation, the association needs "all good will", but also "donations", claims the guest of Europe 1, because "getting respirators on the international market is extremely expensive". In addition, the action of "The chain of hope" on the ground is disturbed by the French situation. "It's difficult because we can't go there, and finding the equipment is very difficult. All of our stocks were used here," regrets the surgeon.
In Africa, concludes Éric Cheysson, "the peak is very far and will be difficult to cross. They will need our solidarity".