While there has been considerable analysis of the health and economic effects of COVID-19 in the Global North, representative data on the distribution and depth of social and economic impacts in Africa has been more limited. PMA analyzed household data collected prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and during the first wave of COVID in four African countries. We evaluated the short-term changes to household economic status and assess women’s access to health care during the first wave of COVID-19 in Kenya, Burkina Faso, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Lagos, Nigeria. We examined the prevalence and distribution of household income loss, food insecurity, and access to health care during the COVID-19 lockdowns across residence and pre-pandemic wealth categories.
January 20, 2022