Burundi: Multiplication of cases of Covid 19; the measures announced were never implemented, the vaccine is not urgent
Today the whole world is turning attention to vaccine procurement; a way to effectively protect people against Covid 19. At a time when Covid 19 contaminations are increasing in Burundi because barrier measures have not been implemented, the country’s authorities and those in charge of health believe that it is not urgent to use the vaccine because they believe that people who test positive recover without any problems. A real escape because the Burundians continue to die and the balance sheets are never declared. So far, the government has announced only 3 deaths since March 2020; 1895 tested positive. In Bujumbura, 3 sites are used to test for the coronavirus. They are Kanyosha, Source du Nil and Ets Kamange. 245 have tested positive for just one week, from Monday February 15 to Friday February 19, 2021. Today, Covid19 is already announced in parliament where a dozens of deputies and staff of the National Assembly have tested positive. No special action has been taken in this important organ of the country.
These figures are only illustrative; in high schools, as in Makamba, Mwaro and Gitega and elsewhere, in universities, we only talk about cases of Covid19. The Ministry of Health does not give real assessments of those who are treated, those who recover and those who die from it; unlike other countries in the world which give these figures daily, except Tanzania where Generals and high authorities like the vice-president of Zanzibar die when Magufuli keeps declaring that it is enough to pray to prevent against this global pandemic. The Burundian authorities started with this kind of declaration, especially during the elections of May 2020, after which, they at least started the campaign to fight against the coronavirus. This was done just to persuade WHO to unlock financial means; everything that was donated was not used to pay the staff in charge of the pandemic as many of them complain that they did not have their due. The money would have been either insufficient or used for something else.
Today, it looks like the announced measures have been for naught. People find themselves on public transport buses, in markets, shops, churches, parties, schools without respecting social distancing, without wearing masks, without washing hands, etc. It is then clear that the power of Evariste Ndayishimiye is in the same logic: to announce measures that are never implemented.
Once again, the Burundians find themselves as orphans because they lack visionary leaders who take adequate measures for their protection against Covid 19. At a time when the whole world is running in search of the financial means to purchase the vaccine, as world leaders reiterated that this vaccine should be a “ global public good ”, most countries except the United States and Russia have joined Covax, which is negotiating with the labs for a fair distribution vaccine. The 20 world economic powers demand that at least 5% of vaccines be reserved for poor countries, particularly African countries. “Equity in vaccines is part of international solidarity,” said Jean-François Corty.
At the beginning of December 2020, Moussa Faki Mahamat, the president of the Commission of the African Union (AU), also demanded that Africa be among the first beneficiaries of vaccines. “Those who have the means must not monopolize vaccines. Africa must also be included among those who will benefit from the first moments of these vaccines,” he stressed. “First, the means must be available to buy these vaccines because they are not free.” Of the 47 countries in the WHO Africa region, “only nearly a quarter have adequate plans for resources and funding”, regretted in early December the UN agency which hopes to vaccinate “3% of Africans by March 2021 and 20% by the end of next year “. Burundi seems to have turned its eyes to Russia. The health minister said that the Russian vaccine seems to be the most effective, but the question is not about its effectiveness, but about how to reimburse him for the vaccine. This is why the country is turning to Russia, which would give it the vaccines in exchange for the mineral resources that this power exploits in the Burundian subsoil. It is for this reason that Minister Thaddée Ndikumana told parliamentarians that the vaccine is not urgent, that Burundians will wait for the Russian vaccine.
Les Echos published on February 20, 2021 that the toll of the Covid-19 pandemic is approaching 2.5 million deaths worldwide, where more than 110 million people have been infected. The United States remains the most affected country, with 495,470 deaths, followed by Brazil (244,765), Mexico (178,108), India (156,111) and the United Kingdom (119,387).
URN HITAMWONEZA once again calls on the Burundians not to wait for the current leaders to impose on them the application of barrier measures because their health is not their primary concern. Everyone must be aware of the dangerousness of Covid 19 and learn to protect themselves individually without waiting for orders from the authorities because their only concern is the search for wealth for their personal interests. If Burundians are not vaccinated like other peoples of the world, Burundi risks finding itself isolated from the whole world. We will then have to put pressure on these leaders without a national vision to join forces with the whole world to fight this global pandemic; if they fail to do so, replacing them with others will remain the correct solution. It is up to all Burundians, without exception, to find the means to achieve this.