On 11th March 2020, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, identified in late 2019 (COVID-19), a global pandemic. This unprecedented health crisis has taken a toll on health systems around the world, in particular in lower- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
As of January 2022, more than 350 million cases and 5.5 million deaths have been reported worldwide (John Hopkins COVID-19 Dashboard, 26.01.22). Recent studies, however, estimate the latter to be double to quadruple that of official records.
In addition to the human burden of COVID-19, the pandemic has had many indirect impacts on access to health services, food security, mental health, economic activities – to name a few - across levels. Despite some indications that 2022 could see the end of the acute phase of this crisis, its effects will reverberate across sectors for many years to come, threatening the achievement of the SDGs and development progress.
The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that both high-income countries and LMICs are insufficiently prepared to respond to pandemics. Such crises require global and cross-border response, emphasising more than ever the importance of international and multilateral cooperation.
How has Switzerland contributed to the international response to the pandemic? Read the latest SDC factsheets on COVID-19:
SDC health support to the COVID-19 pandemic - July 2021
SDC health support to the COVID-19 pandemic - October 2020
Guidance on self-testing for COVID-19WHO, 2022
