COVID-19 has hit all countries hard, but its impact has been harshest on communities which were already vulnerable. These groups are more exposed to the disease, less likely to have access to quality health-care services, and more likely to experience adverse consequences as a result of measures implemented to contain the pandemic.
These inequities are not new. Even as the world has seen improvements in average levels of health and life expectancy and reductions in premature mortality, these gains have not been shared equally across different sections of society within and across nations. Differences are also observed at every age, from the early years to the end of life.
This is not only unfair, it is preventable. That is why we are calling on leaders to ensure that everyone has living and working conditions that are conducive to good health. At the same time, we urge leaders to monitor health inequities, and to ensure that all people are able to access quality health services when and where they need them.
The evidence is clear: giving both girls and boys an equally good start in life and addressing health across the life course is essential for the well-being, development, sustainability and resilience of today’s society and for future generations.