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COVID-19 in Ethiopia: A contextual approach to explaining its slow growth

2020; Edinburgh University Global Health Society; Volume: 10; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.7189/jogh.10.020369

2047-2986

Dawit Wondimagegn, Adane Petros, Yidnekachew Asrat, Tesfamariam Aklilu, Abiy Seifu Estifanos, Adamu Addissie, Wondwossen Amogne, Tewodros Haile Gebremariam, Carrie Cartmill, Cynthia Whitehead, Sophie Soklaridis, Helen Yifter,

COVID-19 epidemiological studies

T he COVID-19 pandemic is a time of many predictions and rapid learning.Early on, the World Health Organization (WHO) identified Ethiopia as one of thirteen countries in Africa as a top priority for COVID-19 preparedness [1].Surprisingly and thankfully, while an early catastrophic outbreak was feared, the rise in COVID-19 cases in Ethiopia has continued to be slow, with few significant health systems impacts or changes in the patterns of morbidity and mortality [2].Despite its high-risk status, over four months after is first confirmed case, Ethiopia, with a population of 110 million, reported only 8181 cases of COVID-19 on July 15th, 2020, or 74.37 cases per 1 million people [2].In comparison, the United States, with a population three times that of Ethiopia, had over 2 million cases within four months of its first case [3].Brazil, with a population twice the size of Ethiopia, had over 1 million cases within four months of its first case, and South Africa, with a population half that of Ethiopia, had over 150 000 cases within four months of its first case [3].The complex interplay between biology, health policy, health human resources, sociocultural factors, and political decision-making influence pandemic outcomes, although these interactions are challenging to track.Nations with seemingly similar sociocultural and political structures have taken drastically different measures to address COVID-19, suggesting that even within large geographical regions, local context