Yellow Fever Outbreak Worsens in Angola as Economy Stalls

Medical professionals announced a worldwide vaccine shortage as 1,100 Angolans suffer from yellow fever, according to CNN. The disease has spread from Angola to neighboring countries, including China, and officials require all travelers to be vaccinated before entering the Southern African country.

Medical professionals announced a worldwide vaccine shortage as 1,100 Angolans suffer from yellow fever, according to CNN. The disease has spread from Angola to neighboring countries, including China, and officials require all travelers to be vaccinated before entering the Southern African country.

Yellow fever is a viral infection transmitted from mosquito bites and can manifest in the form of vomiting, muscle aches and fever. The spread of yellow fever could not have come at a worse time for Angola as the economy is decaying at a rapid speed. Angola has been one of the more prosperous economies in Africa, but the yellow fever outbreak will take a severe financial toll on the poor nation.

Currently, there is no cure for yellow fever, and the best way to combat the disease is through prevention, most notably vaccination. The yellow fever outbreak has killed 178 Angolans since December 2015, the worst outbreak in 30 years.

Core Troubles 

Angola is an oil-dependent economy that has been further bogged down by China’s slow growth, but lower crude prices is the primary factor straining the nation’s finances, forcing leaders to make deep spending cuts. Angola’s problems are dire to the point where policymakers have slashed garbage service collection, leaving piles of waste throughout the streets.

The amount of open garbage has caused yellow fever to spread, among other illnesses. Angola’s capital city of Luanda is dealing with surges in diarrhea, malaria and cholera due to declining sanitation services, notes Reuters.

Officials need to divert what little resources they have in combating the yellow fever, a task that could force leadership to seek further assistance from the international community. The government plans to vaccinate 6.5 million people in the nation’s capital and they have successfully vaccinated many citizens thus far.

While authorities appear to have the situation under control, the public health crisis is another factor that will undo most of Angola’s progress over the years.  

Angola’s Future

Angola has a stark dividing line between the impoverished and an affluent middle class, but most Angolans feel the pinch regardless of class. Many Portuguese immigrated to Angola for better opportunities, but the economic crisis has forced immigrants to turn elsewhere, and the natives are stuck in an economy that does not produce enough well-paying jobs. 

Officials are trying to alleviate investor concerns to maintain stability, but the business community is losing faith, and leaders do not seem to have a firm grasp over the situation. Angola is going through a population surge, growing from 21 to 26 million people, as of 2014. The government improved its statistics methods, but how the government will be able to support a growing population is an open question.

Angola is a viable emerging market, but its resource dependence is a drawback, and it does not have the diversity and economic prowess as other developing economies. Aside from diversification, authorities must also address massive youth unemployment and entrenched corruption.