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Price Gouging, Illegal Sales to China Make it Difficult for Africans to Protect Themselves Against Infection

by Eric Olander

Face masks, hand sanitizers and other protective gear against infection from the deadly COVID-19 are becoming harder to find in many African cities as speculators hoard supplies and sell them overseas. Meantime, when they are available, prices have reportedly surged so high in some pharmacies putting them out of reach of many average consumers.

  • NIGERIA: According to the coordinator of Pharmalliance Network Nigeria, Adeshina Opanubi,  the cost of face masks in the open market has skyrocketed to N200,000 up from N30,000 and N60,000 before the coronavirus incident in the country. (PUNCH)
  • KENYA: Tens of thousands of masks have reportedly gone missing and are believed to have been sold to China even though the government outlawed the export of masks, according to an investigation by the Daily Nation newspaper. (DAILY NATION)

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