How COVID-19 is Changing the World
The World Health Organization (WHO) has defined health as the complete physical, mental, and spiritual well-being of an individual and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. The current COVID-19 pandemic — which many believed would stay in Wuhan, China — has defied human understanding and spread globally in just a few months. As it has spread and impacted all aspects of life, I have observed a few trends.
Renewed Focus on Health
The complete definition of well-being is fundamental in emergency planning. Leaders are now realizing equitable access to health is a human right and not a special reserve luxury for a few citizens that are highly connected to powers of national influence and wealth. Health in all its entirety, goes beyond treatment of sickness — it’s an investment. By creating enabling policies and social structures to promote well-being, communities preserve wealth structures which are already in place. The first quarter of the year has changed and will change the way we look at health in all parts of the world as the COVID-19 pandemic has not spared any nation.
Furthermore, many countries and stakeholders may begin to shift their ideology to sharing the national budget pie in consideration of health as a credible venture. Nations will realize the relevance of public health and the need to generously invest in their citizens from a holistic health systems approach covering education, nutrition, and prevention efforts. The Abuja Declaration may be revisited and perhaps a higher proportion of budget will be allocated. We need to have equitable distribution of resources. A wealthy man may end up being at risk if he doesn’t ensure that the needs of his neighbors are equitably considered.
Shifts to the Economic & Legal Landscape
Pandemics have the power to cripple and strain an economy at a very large scale. COVID-19 in particular may hit global economies perhaps even on a level similar to the effects of a world war. This implies that leaders should not tolerate any form of corruption or resource waste. Misappropriated funds and resources must not go without reprimand.
COVID-19 is also going to affect regulatory politics and the law as it has exposed the gaps in current public health legislation worldwide. It is shaping new regulations for COVID-19 related matters like contractual obligations, employee-employer relations (including: working from home and salary benefits), travel related law, and event advisory beyond the traditional force-majeure responses.
In this time, the legal requirement to share information with WHO under the International Health Regulations (IHR) becomes a priority for all countries. This is basic systems thinking. Global correspondence and bench-marking are needed to learn and be better prepared for any future crisis. This calls for solidarity and political cooperation, even as some borders have been closed by leaders seeking to protect their own people.
Corporate engagement in issues of health as a way to protect and promote business interests is a new direction that is going to transform the way business is done. Public-private partnerships for health are going to be fundamental for development going forward. Companies will have to donate and support efforts to protect their citizens, who double as clients.
Focusing on Communication & Technology
Public health communication is very important in the fight against a pandemic. This includes fighting misinformation, myths, and fake news. Access to information is a human right and this should be supported in all ways so that the citizens get accurate, useful information as needed. Barriers to information can only leave people in ignorance and create balloons of large unknowns. For example, Uganda could use the internet to educate the masses at a sustainable rate instead of comparing internet access to a threat of those in power. Additionally, people need to be reached in their local languages to simplify consumption of health information and ensure equity in access to health services.
Technology is going to be seen as a powerful tool for health especially when it comes to crisis response. This may include both local and developed technology that supports education, media, faith, industry or business communication to keep economies functioning during a lockdown. Faith, in the fight against this pandemic, provides hope that some people need to get by as science seeks a solution. Spiritual well-being can be a fundamental factor in complete health.
Embracing Our Interdependence
The citizens of the world will realize that we are all connected regardless of the nation one comes from. However different our passports may be, all humanity belongs to the same globe. Even in our different ethnicities and languages, borders and boundaries are not factors of division. Soon, I believe, the world will realize that even as Africa is widely considered as one of the least developed and having been called a “dark continent” for years, it has gifts of its innovative people, bountiful nature, and strong spirit of community.
COVID-19 has proven that viruses do not discriminate. In the fight against epidemics and pandemics, collaboration is of the essence. The novel coronavirus is an unwelcome invasion and all humankind, whether black or white, irrespective of nationality, race, ethnicity, or background we must seek how to assist the other to fight this common foe.
Dennis Ssesanga was a 2018–2019 fellow at Intrahealth International in Uganda.
Global Health Corps (GHC) is a leadership development organization building the next generation of health equity leaders around the world. All GHC fellows, partners, and supporters are united in a common belief: health is a human right. There is a role for everyone in the movement for health equity. To learn more, visit our website and connect with us on Twitter/Instagram/Facebook.
