The study, released on Monday, ahead of the G20 meetings to be held later this month in Johannesburg, South Africa, shows that unequal access to housing, healthcare, education and employment leaves millions more vulnerable to disease.
The report, launched by UNAIDS – the global agency dedicated to eliminating AIDS and HIV – finds that inequality not only exacerbates the spread and impact of the disease, but also undermines the global capacity to prevent and respond to outbreaks.
Breaking the cycle of inequality and the pandemic: building real health security In a global era, It calls for a fundamental shift in what we mean by “health security.”
vicious circle
New data shows that pandemics increase inequality, fueling a cycle evident not only in the wake of COVID-19, but also in AIDS, Ebola, influenza, smallpox, and beyond.
The research was conducted by the Global Council on Inequality, AIDS and Pandemics, which was co-chaired by Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz, former First Lady of Namibia Monica Geingos, and leading epidemiologist Sir Michael Marmot, and reached a stark conclusion: epidemics and inequality are locked in a vicious cycle, each feeding off the other in ways that threaten global stability and progress.
“Inequality is not inevitable. It is a political choice, and a dangerous one that threatens everyone’s health“Leaders can break the cycle of inequality and the pandemic by implementing the policy solutions proven in the Council’s recommendations,” Ms. Geingos said.
Global inequalities exacerbate risks
Studies reviewed by the Council reveal that unequal access to housing, education, employment, and health protection have created conditions in which COVID-19, AIDS, Ebola, and smallpox spread faster and are more devastating.
For example, people living in informal settlements in African cities have been shown to have a higher prevalence of HIV than those living in formal housing. In England, overcrowded housing has been linked to a higher death rate from Covid-19.
In Brazil, people without basic education were several times more likely to die from Covid-19 than those who completed primary school.
The Mathare slum in Nairobi is home to 500,000 people within an area of 5 square kilometres.
Between countries, global inequalities exacerbate shared risks. Low-income countries have faced repeated obstacles in accessing vaccines, medicines and emergency funding, leaving the outbreak out of control and prolonging global turmoil.
“The evidence is unequivocal,” Professor Marmot said. “If we succeed in reducing inequality, through decent housing, fair work, quality education and social protection, we reduce the risks of the epidemic at its roots.”
Towards real health security
Executive Director of UNAIDS, Winnie Byanyima, said the results come at a pivotal moment with the G20 meeting chaired by South Africa.
“This report shows why leaders urgently need to address the inequalities that drive pandemics, and shows them how they can do so,” Ms. Byanyima said.
Retiree Zane Grodani, who lives with her husband in Tirana, Albania, receives her third vaccination against coronavirus at a clinic in the capital.
“Reducing inequality within and between countries will enable a better, fairer and more secure life for all,” she added.
The report aligns with South Africa’s G20 theme of “Solidarity, Equality and Sustainability”, highlighting that achieving true health security will depend on economic and social justice as much as on vaccines or laboratories.
The Global Council identifies four key actions to break the “cycle of inequality and the pandemic”:
- Remove fiscal barriers to ensure all countries have the fiscal space to address inequality.
- Invest in social determinants of health, such as housing, nutrition, education and employment, to reduce exposure to disease.
- Ensure equitable access to pandemic-related technologies by treating research and innovation as global public goods and promoting regional production.
- Strengthen community-led, multi-sector responses by integrating pandemic preparedness into local systems and ensuring broad engagement across government, civil society and science.
