Focus Friday: Top COVID-19 (coronavirus) news this week

This week, public health experts emphasized the importance of health preparedness for future pandemics, and COVID-19’s disproportionate impacts on women and children’s health.  World Population Day highlighted implications of demography on fertility, mortality, and migration in the context of the current health crisis. The Indonesian Government announced a fiscal package to improve its health sector preparedness as part of an effort to mitigate its economic downturn due to COVID-19.

UCL-Lancet Lecture 2020: Global Health Preparedness in the Face of Emerging Epidemics | Video

Dr. Muhammad Pate, Global Director for Health, Nutrition and Population at the World Bank Group, shares the historical context of emerging infectious diseases and why the COVID-19 pandemic should not have been a surprise. He provides an overview of recent country and global preparedness efforts, the role of the World Bank, and key lessons learned.

COVID-19 has already killed 500,000, but a larger health catastrophe looms for women and children | Op-Ed

Monique Vledder, head of the Global Financing Facility, writes that tens of millions of women and children may die or endure lifelong health impacts because of disruptions to essential health services due to COVID-19. GFF surveys show that in nearly all 36 lower-income partner countries, the pandemic has disrupted the work of health care workers. Reasons include high rates of infection, lack of personal protective equipment, and inability to travel because of lockdown measures.

Economic Reforms and Investments in Health, Social Protection and Infrastructure will Support Indonesia Sustainable Recovery | Press Release

Indonesia’s economic growth is projected to fall to zero percent in 2020, as restrictions imposed to curb the spread of the virus have led to a freeze in tourism, low commodity prices, and empty shops and restaurants. In response, the Indonesian Government has announced a fiscal package amounting to 4.3% of GDP. The package includes funds to improve the preparedness of the health sector and a substantial increase in social assistance. 

Six reasons why demography matters during the pandemic | Blog

This World Population Day, we highlight the role demography can play in shaping efforts to address and understand this public health crisis, starting with the trinity of fertility, mortality and migration.

Q&A: How Preventing Zoonotic Diseases Can Help Curb COVID-19 and Other Infectious Diseases | Feature Story

Over 70% of emerging infectious diseases in humans have their sources in animals, but disease --and disease prevention – ultimately come from human activity. The health of people and of animals are interdependent and bound to the health of the ecosystems in which they exist. Countries need to invest in the health of their overall food systems to better manage the intersection of environmental, animal and human health.