FORECASTS show that without adequate intervention, between 300,000 and 3.3 million Africans could die from coronavirus, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) said in a report today, Anadolu Agency reported.

It said this could happen as the pandemic continues spreading across the continent’s weak economies, which growth is expected to slow from 3.2% to 1.8% “in a best-case scenario, pushing close to 27 million people into extreme poverty.”

There are over 17,000 confirmed cases across the continent, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

“To protect and build towards the continent’s shared prosperity, US$100 billion (RM43 billion) is needed to urgently and immediately provide fiscal space to all countries to help address the immediate safety net needs of the populations,” said Vera Songwe, UN under secretary-general and executive secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa.

Songwe said 56% of Africa’s urban population is concentrated in slums and only 34% of households have access to basic hand-washing facilities.

“The economic costs of the pandemic have been harsher than the direct impact of Covid-19. Across the continent, all economies are suffering from the sudden shock to the economies. The physical distancing needed to manage the pandemic is suffocating and drowning economic activity.

“We must be firm and clear on good governance to safeguard our health systems, ensure proper use of emergency funds, prevent our businesses from collapse, and reduce worker lay-offs.”

She said policies in response to the crisis must be formulated in consultation with the women.

“Women are the front end and the back end of this crisis, they are our nurses and run many of the small businesses.”

The humanitarian and economic consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic will be ”profound in Africa, and we need solidarity and collective action to mitigate the impacts,” Matshidiso Moeti, World Health Organisation regional director for Africa, said yesterday.

The continent has reported more than 3,500 virus recoveries and 910 deaths, according to Africa CDC. – Bernama, April 17, 2020.