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Artificial ventilation in a hospital in the South African city of Pretoria: there are hardly any oxygen devices in African countries
Photo: Themba Hadebe / AP
SPIEGEL:
So far, only a few people in Africa have been vaccinated against Covid-19 - in Germany alone there are 1.8 million.
Has the international community failed here?
Maximilian Gertler:
The vaccination start in poor countries is disappointing.
Unfortunately, it works according to the principle of the fittest: the richer countries like the USA, Canada but also many EU countries secure the vaccines in bilateral negotiations.
In a global pandemic, such behavior is reckless.
SPIEGEL:
But the numbers from Africa are relatively low.
Infections with Covid-19 are mostly about horror reports from the USA, European countries or South America.
Gertler:
That is wrong.
In general, there is hardly any reports about Africa and the number of unreported Covid 19 infections is extremely high.
This is because very little testing is done in many countries.
For weeks we have been observing that the few tests there are more and more positive results.
In many African countries, especially in Central but also in East and West Africa, there is extremely poor health care.
Everything is missing.
In some places, the situation there is catastrophic even under normal non-pandemic conditions.
"If the virus spreads unhindered, there will be more mutations and they will come to Europe."
Maximilian Gertler, tropical medicine specialist and active at Doctors Without Borders
SPIEGEL:
So there is no data on how many of the 1.3 billion people in African countries are infected?
Gertler:
The data is very thin.
Antibody studies have been carried out in isolated cases, for example for Nigeria.
In a study there, scientists came to the conclusion that around 20 percent of the test subjects already had the virus.
In some townships in South Africa, some kind of herd immunity is now assumed.
But there are no exact and reliable figures.
SPIEGEL:
What does it mean for Europe if there is not enough vaccination in Africa?
Gertler:
Where the virus can spread unhindered, there are not only more deaths, but also more opportunities for mutations.
They come to Europe too.
The coronavirus must be brought under control worldwide, including in Africa.
Otherwise, ultimately, protective measures in Europe are of no use either.
It is thought too nationally - as if the virus cares about borders.
SPIEGEL:
But the vaccines were developed in the Global North.
Isn't it only logical that Europeans should also be vaccinated first?
Gertler:
Yes and no.
Because the private vaccination companies were paid the development costs with tax money.
Therefore, the cans should not be sold to the highest bidder at the highest prices.
Actually, the blueprints for the vaccines should be made freely available.
Then vaccine production could begin immediately in poorer countries.
SPIEGEL:
Vaccines should be distributed to poorer countries through the World Health Organization's Covax initiative.
According to the announcement, there is now even a preliminary contract for 40 million vaccine doses.
Doesn't that give hope?
Gertler:
The industrialized countries have undermined the Covax initiative with their behavior.
The initiative has currently secured too few doses through specific contracts with corporations.
And she has nothing to distribute either.
We also don't know when that will be the case.
The vaccination gap between rich and poor countries is growing.
In the north, at some point, we will start vaccinating the younger population, who are at low risk of severe disease.
In most African countries, not even the hospital staff are vaccinated.
That is fatal, because the already scarce medical staff in Africa should be supported and protected.
If the nurses are unprotected, they can perform their tasks more poorly and, in the worst case, infect patients again.
SPIEGEL:
You were in Rwanda last summer.
What are the effects of the virus there?
Gertler:
The situation in countries like Rwanda is fatal.
Virtually everything is missing to treat Covid-19.
There are around 100 ventilation places throughout Rwanda and an increasing number of severe Covid cases.
The pressure on the health system is increasing.
As a result of the epidemic, capacities had to be reduced, for example for the care of malaria patients or obstetrics.
"It's not about a missed concert or home office without childcare, but about hunger."
Maximilian Gertler, tropical medicine at the Charité
SPIEGEL:
Epidemics are the order of the day in Africa.
You yourself were in West Africa and helped to fight Ebola there.
What is your experience?
Gertler:
In many African countries, epidemics are just a risk factor.
Often people live in fear of armed militias or rebels.
When working with African doctors, nurses and nurses, one thing is particularly depressing: I can go back to my safe home at any time.
But you are right in the middle.
This was particularly tragic with the Ebola outbreak.
I learned a lot from my colleagues on site and always knew that MSF would do (almost) anything for me should I get sick.
My colleagues in Guinea did not have this assurance.
SPIEGEL:
Can you compare the situation with Covid-19 with that?
Gertler:
With Ebola, infected people first develop symptoms and then are contagious.
With Covid-19 it is exactly the opposite.
Ebola is far more deadly and dangerous than the coronavirus, but it can be contained better.
With Covid-19, we have the problem of being symptom-free in the first few days, which means that it spreads very quickly because people do not know that they have already been infected.
SPIEGEL:
So the problem is control in Africa too?
Gertler:
Exactly.
Containment and prevention are even more important because no comparable treatment is available for the sick.
And a lockdown hits poor people especially hard.
It's not about a missed concert or home office without childcare, but about hunger.
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