Home to just over one billion people (14% of the world's population1), the Sub-Saharan African (SSA) region continues to grapple with the impacts and implications of the COVID-19 pandemic which has exposed severe and systemic inequalities as the world plummets into its deepest recession since WWII.2 This health risk has radically altered our way of living, working, and socializing. Urban areas are the epidemic's epicenters, with over 95% of the confirmed COVID-19 cases. Africa faces the dire consequences of the crisis, necessitating timely responses, recovery, and for rebuilding more robust policies and strategies with a critical focus on health emergencies.