Political Instability in the Context of Health Security amid COVID-19 Pandemic

Authors: Adebisi YA*

DOI: 10.23880/eij-16000212

Volume 5, Issue 4

Abstract

In this article, I discussed the current situation of political instability in Nigeria and Afghanistan amid the COVID-19 pandemic to justify why it is an integral determinant of optimal health security. The COVID-19 pandemic is not just a health emergency, it is a revelation that there is no health security without resilient health systems. Despite the importance of people’s social and political environments for health systems resilience, political instability is not often accorded the much-needed attention. In a politically unstable environment, stakeholder’s preparedness and responses to health emergencies will be sub-optimal. This implies that health systems strengthening, health emergency preparedness, response to public health emergencies, and health promotion and disease prevention initiatives will be optimized in a stable political climate. No matter the investment made to strengthen the health system of a country, any surge in political instability can have a detrimental impact on health security.

Keywords: COVID-19; Political Instability; Health Security; Nigeria; Afghanistan; Global Health

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