The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved SA's request for emergency financial support for an amount of $4.3bn to help the country mitigate the adverse social and economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Ironically, the policy reforms demanded by the IMF over the past two decades in exchange for loans have undermined the ability of governments in West Africa to repair their historical problems. These include limiting the ability of clinics and hospitals to employ more doctors and nurses. The IMF also encouraged decentralisation of health services to make them responsive to local needs, which hampered the delivery of adequate health care...