The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed the weaknesses and lack of preparedness of health systems globally. When the virus was at its peak, many low- and middle-income countries struggled to save lives while sustaining essential medical services such as maternal health care, routine childhood immunisation, and the treatment of non-communicable diseases.
After this traumatic period, it is tempting to hope that the worst is behind us. Unfortunately, the future is likely to bring more frequent public-health crises, owing to climate change, urbanisation, deforestation, water shortages, land-use changes, the transmission of pathogens from animals to humans, and conflict-induced fragility.
