WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, said this, on Thursday, during a World Health Organisation (WHO) online media briefing.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has expressed concern that border closure by countries might slow down the treatment of coronavirus patients and containment of the virus.

While speaking at the briefing that was moderated by Adrian Monck, Managing Director, World Economic Forum, Dr. Moeti said while countries had the right to take measures to protect their citizens from coronavirus including closing their borders, they should not hinder the movement of “medicines, test kits and other commodities that are needed as well as the movement of those people who are needed to provide support to countries including our staff from WHO and people from other agencies who really need to get into other countries to offer help.”

According to her: “We have observed a raft of measures including border closures by countries in our region as well as other regions, while at the same time we are learning a lot about the economic impact at the global level and also we are expecting to see the economic impacts of these barriers being placed in the way of goods, people and money moving within countries in trades. This is a big concern.