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Poverty

The link between poverty and premature death and disability has been long evident, but the definition of who is poor and the global distribution of the extremely poor are changing. Today there are fewer poor and fragile states and most of poor people live in stable, middle-income nations. This section examines the ways in which ill-health and poverty are now interacting and reinforcing each other.

Poverty

$1.90

World Bank threshold per diem for extreme poverty

World Bank threshold per diem for extreme poverty World Bank threshold per diem for extreme poverty

6 of 10

Extremely poor people are in middle-income nations

Extremely poor people are in middle-income nations Extremely poor people are in middle-income nations

1.9 B

Billion people living in extreme poverty, 1990

Billion people living in extreme poverty, 1990 Billion people living in extreme poverty, 1990

589 M

Number of people living in extreme poverty, 2019

Number of people living in extreme poverty, 2019 Number of people living in extreme poverty, 2019

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Poverty
Families gather in "bubbles" during a training session as part of an outreach program to the Black community to increase vaccine trial participation in Rochester, New York on November 14, 2020.

COVID-19's Unmasking of Health Inequities in the United States
by Emily Mediate, Leana S. Wen - January 28, 2021

It's more important than ever for policymakers to address the social determinants of health

Poverty
Education in Africa is being disrupted along with everything else—chickens here in a classroom converted into a poultry house because of COVID-19 in the town of Wang'uru, Kenya, on August 28, 2020. Picture shows a large gaggle of chickens inside a classroom, clucking around. One stands atop an overturned bucket. REUTERS/Baz Ratner

The Double Threat of COVID-19 in Africa

by Tom Frieden, John Nkengasong

Deaths from health-care disruptions due to COVID-19 are almost certain to outnumber deaths from the coronavirus itself

Poverty
Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa gives a speech at the Heroes' Day Commemoration in Harare, Zimbabwe, amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on August 10, 2020. GETTY IMAGES/Wanda/Xinhua

Coronavirus in Zimbabwe

by Chido Dziva Chikwari

The country is facing an unprecedented public health catastrophe—and action is required to prevent more needless deaths

An intubated patient tries to gesture at a medical worker holding his hand at the Sotiria hospital ICU during the coronavirus outbreak, in Athens, Greece, on April 25, 2020. Picture shows the hand of a patient in a hospital bed being held by the blue-gloved hand of a medical worker. REUTERS/Giorgos Moutafis
Poverty

Scaling up Surgery and Anesthesia, Post-Coronavirus

by Craig McClain, Laura Hoemeke, Natalie Sheneman

Expanding access to surgery and anesthesia globally would be a win–win for health security and universal health coverage

People at a coronavirus testing center on July 2, 2020 in Mugda Medical College in Dhaka, Bangladesh, where half of the medical equipment in public health facilities goes unused according to the authors. The photo shows a crowd of people wearing masks waiting on line in chairs while a health worker in full protective gear walks beside them. REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain
Poverty

Who Gets What and Why?

by Héctor Castro

Countries need informed decision-making through health technology assessment to allocate resources during the pandemic

People waiting for treatment at a hospital after undergoing cataract removals from a free but shoddy eye surgery camp that caused them to lose their vision—in Amritsar, India, on December 5, 2014. The photo shows several people sitting on hospital beds. One man in the foreground is wearing dark glasses. REUTERS/Munish Sharma
Poverty

The WHO's Unheralded Role in Surgery

by Laura Hoemeke, Natalie Sheneman, Matthew Hey, Megan E. Bouchard

Why does the WHO matter? Its global health coordination makes surgical care more affordable and effective for everyone