COVID-19 Set Health Sector Back 25 Years - Gates' Foundation

A report by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation states that the advent of the coronavirus pandemic has set the health sector back 25 years.

In the report titled, 'COVID-19: A Global Perspective’ takes on the impact of the pandemic on various sectors on a global scale, highlighting the increment in the level of poverty.

The report follows the 2020 Goalkeepers' Report that measures the development of countries as it aligns with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the UN.

The pandemic was described as "mutually exacerbating catastrophes," as it ranged from the emergence of the disease then the move of world governments in moving resources in a bid to manage it and people stopped seeking health care to avoid being infected: building blocks of a comprehensive health catastrophe.

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“Consider vaccine coverage, which is a good proxy measure for how health systems are functioning. Our data partner, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, found that in 2020 coverage is dropping to levels last seen in the 1990s. In other words, we’ve been set back about 25 years in about 25 weeks," the report stated.

It added, “That progress is now at risk. Because of COVID-19, vaccination rates are going back to 1990s levels. In some cases, these vaccinations are simply delayed, and kids can ‘catch up’ later without much consequence. However, some infections, such as measles, spread easily, and even short-term disruptions can lead to immediate increases in illness and death."