Health

During a global health crisis such as the current COVID-19 pandemic the capabilities of health systems are pushed to the extreme. This pressure to respond quickly to urgent demand creates opportunities for corruption in health research, development, procurement and delivery. Transparency in research and development of COVID-19 health care technology and procurement are key to ensure public health interests are prioritised above corporate interests.

In the UK there are nearly 7 million unpaid carers supporting family members or friends with disabilities or chronic illnesses, around 1 in 10 of the population. In Australia, an estimated 2.6 million carers provide unpaid care, again around 1 in 10 of the population. In the USA, there are over 43million current carers. Similar trends in unpaid care are being observed globally and the numbers are vast – an estimated 700 million across the world.

Resilience is the key word, and it starts now – with each one of us as individuals. There was a before. We are now living the “during”, and it is likely to last. The question is: how to deal with where we are now so that we can be in the best possible place when we reach the “after”?

Ahead of the G20 leaders summit, the world’s business and workers’ organisations have joined forces to issue an open letter calling on political leaders to commit to bold coordinated action that leaves no one behind in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. *Note I’ve adjusted to keep the piece timely

This is the “new normal:” Business should expect diseases to disrupt their operations and supply chains with regularity. It doesn’t take much to connect the dots – from SARS to MERS to Swine Flu to Ebola to Chikungunya to Zika to today’s Covid-19.  Each have disrupted business, travel, trade, and tourism.

The many layers to the COVID-19 crisis are unfolding in front of our eyes. Our political leaders, financial institutions and global governance structures are being severely tested. Their job is made all the harder by low levels of public trust and broken social contracts in many parts of the world. Many countries are bracing, should their health services buckle as they have in countries already badly affected. Despite the many wonderful acts of charity being witnessed in communities in lockdown, we know imminent hardship will take a toll on social cohesion.

As we start a new work week, many of us are still wrapping our heads around the reality that we’ve awakened to a much different world than the one we knew just a few days ago. Many of our colleagues are working remotely while their children stay home with them as schools shutter worldwide. All of us are concerned about our older family and friends, to whom COVID-19 poses the greatest risk.

Paul Polman, Co-Founder and Chair of IMAGINE, and Former CEO of Unilever, adds his support to a new global movement coordinated by Business Fights Poverty to accelerate local action on COVID-19.