A new study released ahead of the upcoming G20 meetings in Johannesburg, South Africa, warns that inequality in access to housing, healthcare, education, and employment is leaving millions of people more vulnerable to future pandemics. The report, launched by UNAIDS, reveals that inequality not only worsens the spread and impact of diseases but also weakens global capacity to prevent and respond effectively to outbreaks. Titled Breaking the Inequality–Pandemic Cycle: Building True Health Security in a Global Age, the study calls for a redefinition of “health security” that goes beyond vaccines and emergency response to address the underlying social and economic disparities that drive pandemics.
The Global Council on Inequality, AIDS and Pandemics—co-chaired by Nobel Laureate Joseph E. Stiglitz, former First Lady of Namibia Monica Geingos, and epidemiologist Professor Sir Michael Marmot—concluded that pandemics and inequality are interlinked in a vicious cycle, each amplifying the other and undermining global progress. Monica Geingos emphasized that inequality is a political choice, not an inevitable condition, and that world leaders have the power to break this cycle through evidence-based policies that promote equity.
The Council’s findings reveal that inequality exacerbates the spread and lethality of diseases like COVID-19, AIDS, Ebola, and Mpox. In African cities, people living in informal settlements were found to have higher HIV rates compared to those in formal housing. In England, overcrowded housing contributed to higher COVID-19 mortality, while in Brazil, individuals without basic education were several times more likely to die from the virus than those with elementary schooling. Global inequalities between nations also fuel pandemic risks, as low-income countries face persistent barriers in accessing vaccines, medicines, and financial resources—hindering containment efforts and prolonging global disruptions.
Professor Marmot underscored that reducing inequality through decent housing, fair employment, quality education, and strong social protection systems can significantly lower the risk of future pandemics. UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima added that the report’s release comes at a critical time, aligning with South Africa’s G20 theme of “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability.” She urged world leaders to prioritize reducing inequality within and between nations, noting that true health security depends as much on social and economic justice as it does on scientific and technological solutions.
The Global Council’s report outlines four key actions to break the inequality–pandemic cycle: removing financial barriers to give all countries fiscal space to address inequality; investing in the social determinants of health such as housing, education, and nutrition; ensuring equitable access to pandemic-related technologies by treating research and innovation as global public goods; and strengthening community-led, multi-sectoral systems for pandemic preparedness. Together, these steps, the report argues, are essential to creating a fairer, safer, and more resilient world in the face of future global health threats.
