# President Cyril Ramaphosa says the Covid-19 pandemic and the recent outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda serve as a reminder that South Africa and Africa as a whole must be better prepared for health emergencies. More than 100-thousand South Africans died from the pandemic, and around two-million jobs were lost. The Ebola death toll has surpassed 200. In his weekly newsletter, Ramaphosa says Africa cannot keep depending on international partners for help during a health emergency, emphasising countries need stronger health systems.
Ramaphosa says Africa needs to be part of writing the global rules on fighting pandemics