The coronavirus threatens to take many millions of lives and push billions more into poverty. Oxfam proposes two things that the G20 and other leaders can do now: develop a global public health plan and emergency response to tackle the disease head on; and create an economic rescue plan to cope with the huge economic costs precipitated by this virus.
The Health in Africa initiative of the International Finance Corporation, which promotes private sector healthcare delivery, is extremely unlikely to deliver better health outcomes for poor people.
Health insurance programs, which are being promoted by some donor agencies and governments in developing countries, are excluding the poorest and most vulnerable people.