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The news that some European countries and the US USA They are beginning to ease COVID-19’s blocking restrictions, as well as the low number of confirmed cases reported daily in Ethiopia on successive days, should not calm Ethiopians in a false sense of security. The World Health Organization (WHO) and other stakeholders are warning that premature lifting measures that were put in place to stop the spread of the coronavirus could trigger a resurgence of infections. Since it is not known what the cold weather front through Ethiopia may have in store to accelerate the spread of the virus, it is wise to remain vigilant. Ignoring models that paint a bleak picture for Africa can have disastrous consequences. Observing the precautionary measures recommended by health professionals and the restrictions imposed by the government, without a doubt, helps to avoid the havoc that many have predicted. This is a matter of vital national importance that requires joint action.
Ethiopia’s health policy is primarily geared towards disease prevention. Aware of the country’s economic realities, one of the priority areas of the policy is the control of communicable diseases and epidemics. Although its health sector receives more attention relative to other sectors, the budget allocated to it is woefully low even by levels in sub-Saharan Africa due to resource constraints. Health infrastructure remains one of the weakest in the world. And most health professionals work in a difficult environment for low wages. In view of these twin challenges, therefore, lack of caution can place a burden beyond the capacity of the health system and eventually break it. It is an obligation of citizenship that Ethiopians must realize that it is absolutely important to support health professionals who work hard in the country by following the advice they provide. This is the least they can do to fulfill their citizenship obligation.
In order for the government’s widely praised fight against the COVID-19 pandemic to continue, the efforts it made to combat it must also be emulated on the economic front. Although there is currently no blockade in Ethiopia, the financial security of millions of compatriots, particularly those involved in the concert economy and working in the private sector, has been compromised due to the harmful effects of the outbreak on the economy. While the sheer number of steps taken to protect the private sector from being wiped out may be commendable, it is essential to push this initiative forward and take other steps to safeguard the future of citizens whose incomes have dried up or plummeted. Furthermore, the economic problems of the pandemic are certain to have an unprecedented humanitarian cost. As such, Ethiopians have no choice but to stand together in this hour of need and to overcome the catastrophe looming in the nation together.
As we have said over and over again, transparency and accountability can become the hallmark of government institutions to the extent that they have a leadership and workforce capable of fulfilling the duties entrusted to them. With the exception of a handful of government bodies, most still operate in a way that belongs to a past area and is unable to provide the efficient services that the times require. Given that they suffer from the absence of a modern organizational structure, an experienced and skilled human resource, as well as a technological infrastructure, their capacity must be solidly strengthened. The source of the problem, namely the centralized administration system where party cadres deploy personnel and allocate resources as they see fit without regard to the needs of an organization, must be addressed immediately. Those institutions can hinder or even ruin the national battle against the outbreak because they are inefficient, prone to corruption, and lack the essential credibility for engaging the sincere participation of the most crucial actor in the war: the public. That is why it is essential that reform be a priority, as it is a task of great national importance.
As the coronavirus pandemic continues to devastate the world, the people of Ethiopia must show the same caution as they do during national emergencies in implementing precautionary measures until it collapses. The vital importance of these measures cannot be overstated because the failure of a single person to comply with them can cause the virus to spread exponentially. As we meet some of them, including physical distancing and maintaining personal hygiene, it is equally imperative to stay together and show fellow compatriots that we need assistance that we are there to assist them in their time of need. This said that the motivation behind helping out should not be the expectation of something in return; It has to be for altruistic reasons. Care must be taken so that an act of kindness is not shown to enlarge or create dependency in the minds of the recipients. Ethiopians have a long history of sharing what they have both in good times and bad. It is the responsibility of all of us to demonstrate such solidarity more than ever before if we want to escape the contagion relatively unscathed.
The COVID-19 pandemic also provides opportunities, particularly in relation to the production of personal protective equipment and the generation of IT-based solutions. From hand sanitizers to face masks, gloves, mechanical fans, and other medical instruments, innovative citizens can mass-produce the products demanded by medical establishments and the general public. Needless to say, the government, investors and banks have to make preparations to help them in terms of securing financing, market linkage and production facilities. The experience of countries considered global manufacturing skills reveals that they started with small-scale industries before becoming manufacturing centers. Ethiopia’s history offers an objective lesson to show that despising artisans like potters, goldsmiths and weavers only serves to perpetuate poverty and backwardness. Now that that attitude has no place in contemporary society, every effort must be made to provide entrepreneurs and innovators with a package of incentives to make the nation better off at the end of the pandemic. If there is one thing the outbreak has taught Ethiopians, it is that vital national problems must always be given priority.
