Rising inequality is making societies worldwide more vulnerable to deadly pandemics, warns a groundbreaking global report released ahead of the G20 meetings.. Conducted by world-leading economists, health experts, and political leaders, the report reveals how inequality amplifies outbreaks and undermines recovery, prolonging social and economic disruption.
Over two years of research by the UNAIDS Global Council on Inequality, AIDS, and Pandemics reveals a self-reinforcing cycle. Inequality fuels pandemics, and pandemics deepen inequality, leaving societies weaker with each global crisis. The report shows that countries with higher inequality suffered more deaths during COVID‑19 and had slower recoveries from past outbreaks like Ebola and Influenza.
Evidence Calls for Inequality-Informed Pandemic Response
According to the Council, tackling inequality before outbreaks strike can reduce health and economic damage when pandemics hit. The report urges governments to embed social equity into global preparedness strategies by expanding access to housing, fair work, education, and healthcare. It also identifies fiscal and governance reforms as key to building lasting health security.
Leaders Call for Urgent Action
Co-chaired by Nobel laureate Joseph E. Stiglitz, former First Lady of Namibia Monica Geingos, and epidemiologist Sir Michael Marmot, the Council calls inequality a solvable crisis that demands political will. Stiglitz emphasized that pandemics are not only health crises but also economic shocks worsened by austerity policies and widening fiscal gaps. Geingos noted that inequality is a choice that threatens everyone’s health, while Marmot reiterated that reducing inequality at its roots is essential for pandemic prevention.
Critical Findings for Global Leaders at G20
The report arrives as G20 Health Ministers meet amid renewed outbreaks of Mpox and Avian Flu. It highlights that during COVID‑19, high‑income countries spent quadruple the amount low‑income nations could afford, exposing structural financial inequities.
The Council recommends debt relief and expanded fiscal space to empower all nations to invest in fair and inclusive health systems.
Four Policy Recommendations to Break the Cycle
Expand Fiscal Capacity – Introduce debt standstills and pandemic financing facilities that allow lower‑income nations to respond without austerity.
Invest in Social Determinants – Strengthen social protection, housing, and education to reduce vulnerability and sustain resilience against epidemics.
Reform Research and Production Systems – Treat pandemic technology as a global public good through equitable R&D and regional manufacturing.
Empower Local and Community Response – Include community-led organizations in pandemic planning to reach underserved populations and build trust.
Toward a New Definition of Health Security
As South Africa’s G20 presidency focuses on solidarity, equality, and sustainability, the Council’s report advocates redefining “health security” as more than disease control. It calls for embedding equality into global systems of finance, governance, and scientific cooperation, ensuring that future pandemics do not deepen existing divides but instead strengthen global unity.
