This shocking finding also highlights the glaring inequity to access pain-reliving medicine not just globally but also within Africa itself. For instance, southern Africa has 237 doses compared to the four doses of west and central Africa. This ratio was 32 per cent in north Africa and 40 per cent in east Africa. North America was followed by Australia along with New Zealand (17,147 doses) and western and central Europe (12,146 doses). Patients needing would have been affected majorly in regions like western and central Africa with the onset of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, the report said.

Source: The North Africa Journal June 29, 2021 15:22 UTC