Nigeria, April 17 -- The initiative for this idea came from the Institute of African and Diaspora Studies (IADS), University of Lagos, where Professor Wellington Oyibo and his colleagues decided to move from intellectual conversations to practice. A Medical Parasitologist and activist, Professor Oyibo is opposed to statements coming out of the World Health Organisation regarding the use of lockdowns to solve serious health issues. To Oyibo, the Pandemic Treaty by WHO regarding Africa is floored. This became the theme of the conversation on World Health Day organised by IADS on 5 April, to which I was invited to give the keynote address.

Africa is frequently misrepresented and misunderstood in the context of global health issues. Misconce...