ISLAMABAD: The coronavirus pandemic will only widen inequality gaps further and even entrench people in poverty unless measures are set in place to meet the needs of vulnerable individuals and households who are already bordering poverty, says a new report published by the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN Escap).

The costs of neglecting these vulnerable populations will impact not only on economic activity, but also on higher rates of transmission. The Covid-19 pandemic is an opportunity for governments in the Asia-Pacific region to build their crisis-resilience through strengthened and more systematic health and social protection measures for all, the report says.

Published in Dawn, March 30th, 2020