Bridging the Inequality Gap Among Marginalized Populations in Africa Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Call for Responsible Cooperation

Abstract

The index case of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID19) was reported by the World Health Organization in Wuhan city, China, during the fall of 2019.[1] Since this period, 150,708,255 COVID-19 cases have been recorded globally as of April 29, 2021, with Africa accounting for 4,573,989 cases out of the global total.[2] The evolving community transmission of COVID-19 has increasingly placed certain groups at disproportionate risk.[3] Global inequity is evident in the unequal distribution of material and economic resources across different population groups as a result of exploitation and unequal living standards, as well as differences in environmental conditions and geographical location.[4] The COVID-19 pandemic has further widened the existing global disparity, with a disproportionate increase in the vulnerability of marginalized population groups.[5] These include the urban slum dwellers, incarcerated individuals, and internally displaced persons, among others. Therefore, this opinion piece will examine the COVID-19 pandemic in an inequitable world and suggest strategies to minimize these inequalities.