The COVID-19 pandemic has deeply impacted other international and domestic health initiatives. Although COVID was undoubtedly the most imminent threat to global health, there were inevitable setbacks to other initiatives which had been making significant strides to improve the health of people across the globe, specifically in the developing world. International health initiatives previously at the forefront of the international health conversation have been forced to take a backseat to the coronavirus.
In recent years, significant progress has been made in disseminating measles and polio vaccines. The COVID-19 pandemic has imposed significant obstacles on global vaccination campaigns in places where these diseases have yet to be eradicated. Twenty six countries have suspended their measles vaccinations as resources have been redirected to combat the coronavirus. This has put 94 million people at risk, with the World Health Organization (WHO) projecting that more children will die from measles than from COVID itself. Polio vaccination campaigns have also been halted in twenty eight countries. In previous years, polio was close to being eradicated entirely due to these campaigns.
The coronavirus has impeded recent progress in the fight against malaria. This can be seen in decreased access to supplies such as mosquito nets and reductions in preventative information dissemination. While Sub-Saharan Africa already experiences 90% of global malaria cases, this region has endured an increase in cases as a result of the pandemic. According to the WHO, efforts to reduce malaria cases and deaths will fall significantly short this year.
HIV treatment has not faced as many setbacks as public health officials feared. Although testing capacity has declined, access to treatment has not suffered as much. In a study conducted by the UNAIDS organization, of the twenty two countries which provided sufficient treatment data, only five – Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe, Peru, Guyana, and the Dominican Republic – experienced declines in treatment accessibility. Meanwhile, countries such as Kenya, Ethiopia, and Botswana were able to maintain a steady treatment regimen while simultaneously battling the coronavirus.
COVID has had a noticeable impact on world hunger, which was on the rise before the pandemic, and has only been further exacerbated in 2020 and 2021. World hunger is caused by conflict, socio economic issues, and climate change. Climate change can increase food prices, and decrease access to nutritious food. This decreased access to food leads to malnutrition which serves to weaken people, therefore making them more susceptible to other illnesses. The introduction of COVID-19 to the equation has disrupted global supply chains and contributed to inflation, making food less accessible to lower income families. The World Food Programme (WFP) estimates that the coronavirus has caused over 200 million people to experience food insecurity. The World Bank is cooperating with local governments to bolster programs and provide financial support to countries struggling with enhanced food insecurity.
In the United States, the coronavirus has drastically increased mental health issues such as depression and anxiety, as well as rates of alcohol and drug abuse. In June 2019, 1 in 10 American adults reported experiencing mental illness, compared to January 2021 during which 4 in 10 adults reported experiencing mental illness. This spike can be attributed to stressors driven by the pandemic such as isolation and unemployment. The rates of mental illness have been even higher for young adults between the ages of 18 and 24. This demographic reports a 56% rate of depression and anxiety due to isolation, the inability to attend school, and job insecurity. While these rates of mental health problems are shockingly high, it is also important to note they will not simply disappear with the end of the pandemic.
The increase in COVID vaccine availability has provided a possible light at the end of the tunnel. As more people gain access to the vaccine, coronavirus will be better controlled which will allow other world health issues to return to the forefront. The reallocation of supplies and attention to more endemic global health concerns will ensure millions of people are able to improve their standard of living in an effort to promote a healthier world.