COVID FROM AFAR

We all have our moments of lesson learning from the Corona Virus pandemic and its impacts.

There have been many tragic incidents and episodes: many funerals postponed, grandparents prevented from visiting and hugging their grandchildren and so forth.

I have a sad case to report.

Two enterprising and relatively well-to-do gentlemen in their early fifties both died within a week of each other. They both had thriving businesses and loving families and were what one would consider pillars of their society.

Both were carrying health issues that they had been managing for the last seven or so years by going abroad on a fairly regular basis for treatment and check-ups.

To cut a long story short, the shut-down of international flights meant that the option of flying abroad for treatment was no longer available and the local service could not step in.

Sadly for these two gentlemen, they died a couple of weeks ago, not from the Corona Virus infection directly but rather from not being able to travel abroad for their normal regular treatment.

I am fairly certain that these may not have been isolated cases here in Africa.

What this brings forcefully home to me is that we must begin to pay greater attention to developing some basic services within our countries – so that we would not suffer such a fate the next time there is another pandemic rupture.

Kwame Fosu