By Andrew Kaufa, smm
The standing committee of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences in Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) has come up with a prayer for the Church in Africa to seeking divine intervention for healing of those infected and affected by the Corona virus and that effective medicine be speedily found to combat the sickness.
This comes about as Coronavirus also known as Covid-19 which continues to spread in a disturbing way across the rest of the world, has now reached at least 11 countries on the African continent
Signed by SECAM President His Eminence Philippe Cardinal Ouedraogo, the SECAM prayer for the end of the virus is added to a press statement which the SECAM Secretariat has released at the end of the standing committee’s meeting which took place in Nairobi from 4- 7 March 2020 in Nairobi, Kenya.
“We members of the SECAM Standing Committee, meeting in Nairobi, Kenya from March 4-7, 2020, have noted with concern the growing number of cases of Coronavirus infection in Africa and the rest of the world. We express our sympathy for and solidarity with those who are infected and affected by this strange epidemic and pray that an effective and affordable treatment of this disease may soon be found,” reads the statement.
The prayer and message of SECAM adds a voice to the calls by the World Health Organization that all government and relevant health authorities to do what they can in order to prevent the people from getting the virus or from spreading it to others.
“We pray for the relevant government and health authorities that they take appropriate steps for the good of the people,” the continues.
The Coronaviruses, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) are described as “a family of viruses that includes common cold, SARS and MERS” whereby “the Covid-19 is a strain that previously had not been identified in humans.”
According to a BBC report published on March 12, the World Health Organization (WHO) Director General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebeyesus has declared that Coronavirus is now a pandemic, meaning that it is an infectious disease which is significantly spreading from person to person in multiple countries around the world at the same time.
As of 11 March 2020, the WHO’s status update indicates that the spread of the of Corona virus has reached 114 countries worldwide, with high numbers of confirmed cases and its spread concentrated in China and parts of Italy, Iran and the United States.
In Africa the WHO status update shows that the virus has spread to almost all regions of the continent, with cases confirmed in Egypt (59); Algeria (20); South Africa (7); Tunisia (5); Senegal (4); Nigeria (2); Burkina Faso (2); Morocco (2); Togo (1); DRC (1).
“We encourage all the faithful to meticulously follow the instructions given by the civil and ecclesiastical authorities regarding the virus. We also ask that they pray for those infected and affected by this disease and for a quick end to the scourge of the Coronavirus,” concludes the SECAM statement.
Suggested Prayer by SECAM For The End of The Virus
Almighty and merciful Father, who show your love to all your creation. We come before you asking for a quick control of the Corona Virus currently ravaging our world. Hear graciously the prayers we make for those affected by the virus in various parts of the world Grant healing to the sick, eternal life to the dead and consolation to the bereaved families. We pray that an effective medicine to combat the sickness be speedily found We pray for the relevant Governments and Health Authorities that they take appropriate steps for the good of the people Look upon us in your mercy and forgive us our failings. Amen.