The pandemic has exposed the cracks in an already fragile system, revealing the gaps in public health systems, social and community infrastructures, a global economy full of injustices, congealed in neoliberal practice. Yet, unlike buildings and bridges, much of this infrastructure is intangible. It cannot be handled like a bridge, and no less an essential asset for society.
Public health systems have struggled to provide basic pandemic-related services such as testing; COVID-19 cases and deaths have not been counted consistently, and we continue to lack strong testing and tracing programs;
Governments and community organizations failed to deliver services and support; failures in institutional and organizational protocols, processes and structures that enable governmental and community organizations to provide needed health, social and community services.
How do we account for these systemic ruptures? What does nature’s challenge reveal in our structural arrangements that can inform a progressive agenda?
Stefania Romano of the GNDE Co-ordination Team probes the possibilities with Carlos Álvarez Pereira of the Club of Rome.
