Regional cooperation is essential to combatting health emergencies in the Global South

Abstract

Since COVID-19 was first discovered, it exploded into a pandemic resulting in devastating effects on human lives and a global recession. While there have been discussions that COVID-19 will accelerate the ‘end of globalization and multilateralism’, we have already seen the high costs of non-cooperation in responding to the virus resulting in sub-optimal use of resources, rapid spread of the virus between countries, and, ultimately, significant loss of life. In spite of their favorable demographic structures and relatively young populations, countries in the Global South are still harshly affected in both epidemiological and economic terms. Nations must find innovative ways to address health concerns and regional bodies are possible mechanisms for facilitating international cooperation on health. We delineate how regional organizations can support how countries address health threats namely by serving as a bridge between the global and national policy levels; strengthening disease surveillance; mobilizing supply chains and facilitating trade; supporting the production and procurement of medicines and supplies; and coordinating policies and work with other actors. We finalize by arguing that mechanisms for regional cooperation must be strengthened themselves in order to effectively contribute to positive health outcomes within member states.

Regional Cooperation and Integration in Asia and the Pacific: Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic and “Building Back Better”

“…IsDB's experience in organizing consultative forums with RCOs in 2016, 2017, and 2019 is a good example. As already proven, RCOs and regional platforms can strengthen disease surveillance; mobilize supply chains; facilitate regional trade; and support the production and procurement of vaccines, medicines, and medical supplies through pooled purchasing to ensure lower prices and to equalize the negotiating power of lower-income countries (Amaya and De Lombaerde 2021). Such cooperation is particularly important in a post-COVID-19 world, where regional value chains are undergoing structural change as the pandemic has reinforced relocation and reshoring trends because of concerns about vulnerability to global shocks (Fortunato 2020).…”

Assessment of the Effects of Human Mobility Restrictions on COVID-19 Prevalence in the Global South

“…Furthermore, in the Global South countries, the contact pattern between age groups tends to be higher compared to that in high-income countries Salye et al 2021), indicating that elderly people maintain higher rates of contact with other age cohorts. Therefore, global cooperation in the current pandemic can support countries in the Global South to minimize the risks related to the propagation of the virus either in the restriction stages or in the vaccination phases (Amaya and De Lombaerde 2021).…”

“…At the beginning of the pandemic, many Global North countries (i.e., Germany, Britain, France) turned more inward and became more nationalistic, prioritizing their citizens rather than increasing their collaboration with other low-income countries or global institutions. This is not an option for the Global South countries, where collaboration with international organizations and high-income countries is important to mitigate the negative effect of the propagation of the virus (Amaya and De Lombaerde 2021;Lai et al 2021). The low-income countries in the Global South imposed different mitigation measures and strategies to slow the propagation of the disease; however, despite imposing these strategies, the pandemic rapidly overwhelmed health systems, resulting in substantial excess deaths due to the poorer health care available (Chowdhury and Jomo 2020).…”

“…Different studies have investigated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on low-income countries or the variables that elevate the propagation of the disease over space. Amaya and De Lombaerde (2021) investigated the importance of regional organizations in addressing health threats in the Global South. They indicated that regional organizations can serve as a bridge between the global and national policy levels.…”

The Middle East and COVID-19: time for collective action

“…There is today huge diversity among regional organizations around the world, and in their relationship with multilateral institutions, but scholars and policymakers acknowledge the importance of an integrated approach in dealing with pressing global security questions including conflict, migration, environmental and health, to name just a few. This is particularly urgent in the Global South [ 18 ]. Health issues are present today on the agendas of most regional organizations, and it is notable that some with recent experience of major health crises, including SARS, MERS, Ebola and Zika, have acted to upgrade provision and thus been better prepared, Southeast Asia is one such example [ 19 ].…”