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The need for G20 to push for global health reform
Indonesia and India spent the least on health care in the last two decades. Indonesia spent only 1.9 percent of its GDP in 2000 and 2.9 percent in 2018, while India spent 4 percent in 2000 and 3.5 percent in 2018.
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COVID-19 patients take an aerobics class together on the grounds of the Athletes Village quarantine facility in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, in this file photo taken in February 2022. Patients are able to exercise together during quarantine in the open field every afternoon, if the weather permits. (JP/A. Muh. Ibnu Aqil)
Indonesia is the first developing country to take over the Group of 20 presidency, which provides great challenges and opportunities to restructure the global order.
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has chosen the main theme of Recover Together, Recover Stronger for Indonesia's presidency, which signals the need for collective efforts. No doubt, decisions made by G20 leaders could be a game-changer in global affairs. Indonesia could learn from other G20 members and influence strategic decisions in a new world order.
The world is still struggling to fight COVID-19, which has cost about US$2.96 trillion in economic output, or 3.4 percent of global gross domestic product (GDP). The correlation between public health and the economy is more evident than ever thanks to the pandemic. COVID-19 has affected more than 90 percent of the countries in the world, which is more immense than the impact World War II inflicted.
Post-World War II, the world was united in establishing the United Nations. Now the pandemic has united the world in anticipating new global health threats. To end the pandemic, every country should maintain a resilient health system that will prevent future disasters from recurring.
Thanks to the advances of medical, pharmaceuticals and communication technologies, the world has successfully developed vaccines for COVID-19 and coherent preventive measures. However, the distribution of diagnostic instruments, vaccines and other medical supplies has been skewed toward high-income countries.
The absence of essential health services, medical diagnostics, vaccines, drugs and other medical supplies in many low-and middle-income countries (LIMCs) has triggered big concerns. Evidence shows that SARS-Cov-2 and its variants spread from middle-income countries but had huge economic impacts on high-income countries.
The World Bank Group reported that low-income countries may not be able to finance the recovery of their healthcare systems from the pandemic. Most of them have been spending very little on health services, both for medical care and for public health services, to prevent the spread of many diseases. Any mutation of a virus and other biological threats may in the end have a negative effect on other countries.
