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The global crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has placed unprecedented strain on public health systems and decimated economies, lives, and livelihoods. The distribution of cash grants and significant amounts of money flowing through global financial systems in the form of debt relief, loans from multilateral institutions, and government stimulus packages have been wrought with irregularities, some due to the weak underlying infrastructure necessary for distribution and others due to corruption. The paper argues for the establishment of anti-corruption hotlines and public campaigns by governments to raise awareness of the risks and consequences of corruption. Urgent responses to the COVID-19 pandemic should not come at the expense of continued corruption.

COVID-19 has affected nations worldwide, and Africa has been no exception. However, the focus cannot be removed from other diseases that continue to plague millions of African citizens. Prevention and treatment programs for malaria, tuberculosis (TB), and HIV/AIDS have been severely affected due to the increased attention on fighting the pandemic, leaving these diseases the ability to run rampant. This article reviews recent research that estimates the total impact of the reduction in programs targeted at these other diseases.