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Mali is currently battling the spread of the deadly coronavirus just like other African countries finding a way to stop the spread and end the impact of the virus.

One scientist helping the fight in his small way is 38-year old Amadou Kone.

The youthful researcher hardly gets any rest these past months, researching into the coronavirus and also seeking to represent his people in parliament.

Kone is running for a seat in the Malian parliamentary elections scheduled for Sunday.

At the same time he is working on ways to stop the coronavirus pandemic.

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The 38 year-old scientist told AFP news agency that he “gets three hours of sleep a night at the moment, between the [laboratory] tests and the election campaigning”.

Mr Kone is one of 13 scientists at work at a laboratory where samples of viruses are tested and studied.

He also teaches medical students and seeking a political office on the ticket of Republican Movement, a small political party established in 2014.

Despite the Coronavirus pandemic Mali’s President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta has said that the elections will go ahead.

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The elections have been postponed several times and President Keita wants it done with this time round due to the insecurity in the country.

Mr Kone told the AFP that “I can understand why the government wants to keep them.

And if they are going ahead, we can’t stay on the sidelines. We have to motivate people to go out to vote, it’s important for the country.”

Each time that these elections have been scheduled, they’ve been cancelled. This time they have to take place! Even with the coronavirus, when people go to the polling station, they will respect social distancing.”

Mali has confirmed two cases of the coronavirus – two nationals who had recently arrived from France.

President Keïta has declared a state of health emergency and imposed a curfew from 21:00 to 05:00 local time. All land borders have also been closed.

Source: Africafeeds.com