Bleak prognosis

The novel coronavirus pandemic is the greatest disruption of our times, and one that has challenged almost every facet of routine life. To curb its spread and to prevent healthcare systems from being overrun, most nations have opted for varying degrees of restrictions. Some imposed full lockdowns leaving only essential businesses running, while some others have relied on a more relaxed approach.

But even as some countries that acted early and have managed to flatten the infection curve or even eradicate the disease from its borders, new crises are lurking just around the corner. As a recent report by UK-based charity Oxfam warned, global hunger and poverty has killed more than half a million people already, particularly in regions that were already at huge risk.

The issue goes beyond just local policies, however. One thing the pandemic has revealed that we all took for granted is just how interconnected and interdependent all countries are. With the entire world, particularly the major economic centres that drove demand for consumption, facing the worst economic slump in recent history, it would be foolish for any government to assume they can make a dent on poverty alone.

The same goes for global hunger. With supply chains disrupted in the world’s biggest food producing nations, it is not lack of food but the lack of ability to deliver that is increasing global hunger. In the US, for instance, staggering amounts of produce is being lost and a huge number of livestock will have to be euthanised simply because there is no way for the food to reach the markets.

With even a little bit of sense, anyone could see that any hope of recovery needs all nations to coordinate, cooperate and develop a global consensus. But perhaps the global climate change meetings were a dry run for our selfish priorities and lack of perspective. All one can do is hope, which increasingly is harder to do.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 12^th, 2020.

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