The year is 2030, and I have just learned that a mutated form of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has re-emerged. Flashbacks of empty grocery shelves, toilet paper, and masks blowing in the wind flood my mind. Every news outlet is covering the story; reports are coming in of a novel strain sweeping across South Africa. Within hours, the U.S. and U.K. learn of their first cases. Governments warn that the number of new cases will increase drastically within the next week and tell the public to begin isolation immediately.
Of course, this is just a figment of my imagination. This is the last thing we want to be thinking about, considering we haven’t made it out of the current pandemic. Yet, this scenario could be our future if we don’t ensure funding to low-income countries to help combat the current COVID-19 pandemic. Regions such as the Middle East and North Africa lack a well-established health care system and the necessary tools to minimize the impact of the virus (1). Without a proper healthcare infrastructure, SARS-CoV-2 might become endemic in less developed regions (1). This would allow the virus to undergo genetic recombination potentially leading to another novel virus and thus another pandemic. Therefore, understanding the challenges that underdeveloped countries face is an important global issue.
Challenges to Healthcare Systems in Low-Income Countries
COVID-19 has posed immense challenges to healthcare systems across the globe. We saw how difficult it was for countries such as the United States to manage infection rates while developing a safe and effective vaccine(1). These challenges have raised the question as to how low-income countries are expected to combat these challenges with weaker healthcare infrastructures. Least developed countries (LDCs) as defined by the UN, such as Afghanistan, Cambodia, and Ethiopia are disproportionately threatened by the pandemic as they lack domestic financial resources, have high debt levels (2), and have limited health facilities, medicine availability, and research capacity(3). The pandemic has also led to a decrease in tourism and global migration, which provide a key source of revenue to LDCs(2). Moreover, COVID-19 has devastated the financial market, culminating in a $50 billion drop in global exports in February 2020 alone(2). Reduced demand for commodities and limited trade across borders is making it increasingly difficult for landlocked countries to receive resources such as medical equipment and basic goods(2). The compound effects of the above challenges are putting LDCs in a compromising position, making it nearly impossible for them to control and recover from COVID-19. It is essential to strengthen national healthcare infrastructure to ensure global control of the COVID-19 pandemic and to prevent the possibility of genetic recombination and viral mutation. Financial support and international aid may be key to making this possible in low-income countries.
Providing Support to Developing Countries with Weaker Health Systems and Future Implications
Global economies and social structures are intricately linked. Trade and tourism are key components to healthy economies, yet enable disease transmission across borders. Therefore, it is pertinent that we control the spread of COVID-19 in all countries. Short-term support to vulnerable communities should include immediate financial support, personnel, and pharmaceuticals(1). However, these are just short-term solutions overlooking the root of the healthcare system issues in LDCs. We must ensure that financial resources are focused on increased healthcare training and healthcare budgets, taking the burden off of individual families, and building a more organized infrastructure. Reducing these challenges helps LDCs fight COVID-19 and other key diseases. It would also help to implement evidence-based plans and policies to prevent and protect the public from future pandemics(1). Without substantial investment and international aid, it is possible that COVID-19 will remain uncontrolled globally, and could mutate into a virulent sub-type again reaching pandemic-level spread.
References
1. Da'ar, O., Haji, M. and Jradi, H., 2020. Coronavirus Disease 2019 ( COVID ‐19): Potential implications for weak health systems and conflict zones in the Middle East and North Africa region. The International Journal of Health Planning and Management, 35(5), pp.1240-1245.
2. Un.org. 2021. World’s Most Vulnerable Countries Lack the Capacity to Respond to a Global Pandemic Credit: MFD/Elyas Alwazir | Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States. [online] Available at: <https://www.un.org/ohrlls/news/world’s-most-vulnerable-countries-lack-capacity-respond-global-pandemic-credit-mfdelyas-alwazir>
3. Afriyie, D., Asare, G., Amponsah, S. and Godman, B., 2020. COVID-19 pandemic in resource-poor countries: challenges, experiences and opportunities in Ghana. The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries, 14(08), pp.838-843.
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