Campaign to help fight COVID-19 in Africa

As the global crisis deepens, Two Wheels for Life and Dorna Sports have come together to launch a campaign to raise £50,000 to fight the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa. Given how badly the disease has hit affluent countries with highly developed healthcare sectors, the consequences could be devastating for the world’s poorest continent.

Here’s what Two Wheels for Life said in a statement:

As the world comes together to fight the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Two Wheels for Life are joining forces with long-term partner Dorna Sports to launch a campaign to raise £50,000 to fight the disease in Africa.

Many of us are now experiencing the immense impact of a contagious disease for the first time. As COVID-19 spreads, we have become hyper-aware of the importance of testing, public hygiene and how we can limit deaths in our countries.

To people across Africa, a threat like coronavirus is nothing new. Many African countries fight a constant battle against dangerous contagious diseases such as Denge and Lassa fever and most recently Ebola. Resources are always tight and medicines, tests and facilities are rarely accessible to most.

COVID-19 arrived in Africa weeks after it hit Asia, Europe and North America, but now it poses a serious risk for the 1.2 billion population of the world’s poorest continent. Without robust international support, the pandemic in Africa could be devastating as they simply do not have access to the financial and medical resources we are lucky enough to enjoy as we fight to beat this deadly disease.

Two Wheels for Life, together with their on-the-ground partners Riders for Health, are experts in healthcare delivery across the African continent. For 30 years they have been enabling healthcare workers to reach even the most remote areas with care, education and supplies.

Joining forces with Dorna Sports, the commercial rights holder of MotoGP, Two Wheels for Life have pledged to battle the potentially disastrous threat of COVID-19 across Africa using the power of motorcycles.

Funds raised will be used for the delivery of test results, education and equipment to hard to reach communities in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other deadly contagious diseases.

Andrea Coleman, Co-Founder Riders for Health and CEO of Two Wheels for Life: “Medicines, tests and facilities are rarely accessible to the isolated communities in Africa, but they are not forgotten by us and our partner Riders for Health. We are dedicated to giving access to health care for the most vulnerable using motorcycles to reach the most remote areas.

“The programmes we support will be involved in transporting samples to laboratories from test sites. Funding is needed to train more motorcycle riders and buy more bikes. We are relying on the support of the motorcycle community here and around the world.”

Kayode Ajayi, Riders for Health CEO: “I fear the worst for areas in Africa that are ill prepared and ill equipped for this current virus as it brings new challenges. Unless the supplies, medicine and care they need can get to them we will be witnessing a devastating picture. Many of these places are only accessible by motorcycle.”

If you want to find out more, or make a donation, visit https://www.twowheelsforlife.org/join-usto-fight-covid-1x-across-africa-with-the-power-of-motorcycles/