This archive report was first published on 15 September 2021.
September 15, 2021 - The COVID-19 pandemic has left a lasting impact on the world, with the most vulnerable populations being the slowest to recover, according to a new report by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
The fifth Goalkeepers Report, co-authored by Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates, highlights the stark disparities caused by the pandemic, with an additional 31 million people pushed into extreme poverty in 2020 compared to 2019.
Despite the challenges, the report notes that the world has made progress in avert some of the worst-case scenarios, with the decline in global vaccine coverage being less severe than anticipated.
However, the report also emphasizes the need for long-term investments in health and economies to propel recovery efforts and get the world back on track to meet the Global Goals.
Bill and Melinda Gates noted that the lack of equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines is a public health tragedy, with wealthy countries and communities being the primary beneficiaries of the systems that allowed for the unprecedented development and deployment of the vaccine.
“The only way we will solve our greatest health challenges is by drawing on the innovation and talent of people all over the world,” said Gates Foundation CEO Mark Suzman.
