The Gender of COVID
As the world gears to celebrate Africa Day tomorrow in the wake of a global pandemic, I find myself conflicted on the measure of the gains worth celebrating. It is no secret that COVID like all pandemics, epidemics or endemics, are a harsh reality for the Women of these beautiful lands. Primarily, because the outbreak of disease in Africa more or less exacerbates the pre-existing inequalities, but also because women vastly carry the responsibility of being the nurturers of our communities.
Take the Ebola Outbreak in Kivu area of the Democratic Republic of Congo & West Africa. It is foolhardy to expect a woman, a mother, to keep distance away from her sick and ailing child. Even if that disease is the deadly Ebola. It is ludicrous thinking an African mother will isolate her child bleeding profusely out of their wilted bodies, and draining out through blood-drenched diarrhoea and vommit. In countries where governments are absent, and healthcare structures are on life support, the women and mothers bear the brunt of being the frontline workers, saving their children, soothing their spouses and dying along with them all the same.
Women in Sub-Saharan Africa have been failed by poor infrastructure and health care for far too long during the outbreak of disease. As we celebrate our motherland, I shudder in fear for our mothers who will not care for their own lives when their child exhibits COVID symptoms. The mother who will feed their coughing child honey, or steam their little child when they have trouble breathing, exposing themselves and compromising their health.
The gender of COVID, is the gender of AIDS, is the gender of EBOLA. And, as we forge the paths for a new Africa, may we never forget the heroine mothers, aunts, sisters; who have been blown by the smooth pebbles of the Sahara into the wind.
Happy Africa Day Tomorrow & Everyday!
Live, Love & Include,
