The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean reveals the effects of Covid-19 on health and the economy

Washington-. The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean today warned that the COVID-19 pandemic has further weakened health systems in Latin America and the Caribbean, the region most affected by the current health crisis.

Alicia Barcena, Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), explained that the sector in the region has faced more than 44 million confirmed cases and nearly 1.5 million deaths so far, when intervening at the 59th session of the PAHO Steering Board ( PAHO).

Barcena noted that chronic underfunding, underfunding and fragmentation are characteristic of health and that only countries such as Cuba and Uruguay exceed six percent of GDP in public spending on this activity.

He explained that this department represents, on average, 3.8% of GDP, while in the countries of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) it exceeds 7%.

He stated that personal spending (direct payments from individuals) reflects inadequate public financing for health in Latin America and the Caribbean at 33.6 percent, compared to 21 percent for members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

On the other hand, the highest representative of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean warned that the pandemic has increased global inconsistency in terms of access to vaccines, a situation that will only allow less than 80 percent of the region’s population to be immunized in 2021.

Likewise, the wealth and impacts of climate change have increased, as he emphasized during his speech at the virtual event titled ‘A Comprehensive Health and Economic Response to the Protracted Covid-19 Pandemic’, as part of the PAHO Events Program.

He deplored the unprecedented economic and social consequences in Latin America and the Caribbean due to the disease.