Ensuring Global Health Equity in a Post-pandemic Economy

Document Type : Editorial

Author

Globalization and Health Equity, School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada

Abstract

With coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) receding, many countries are pondering what a post-pandemic economy should look like. Some advocate a more inclusive stakeholder model of capitalism. Others caution that this would be insufficient to deal with our pre-pandemic crises of income inequality and climate change. Many countries emphasize a ‘green recovery’ with improved funding for health and social protection. Progressive tax reform and fiscal policy innovations are needed, but there is concern that the world is already tilting towards a new round of austerity. Fundamentally, the capitalist growth economy rests on levels of material consumption that are unsustainable and inequitable. More radical proposals thus urge ‘degrowth’ policies to reduce consumption levels while redistributing wealth and income to allow the poorer half of humanity to achieve an ethical life expectancy. We have the policy tools to do so. We need an activist public health movement to ensure there is sufficient political will to adopt them.

Keywords

References

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International Journal of Health Policy and Management

Articles in Press, Corrected Proof
Available Online from 30 May 2022

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History

  • Receive Date: 01 March 2022
  • Revise Date: 15 May 2022
  • Accept Date: 29 May 2022
  • First Publish Date: 30 May 2022

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