The COVID 19 pandemic has taken a devastating toll on lives and livelihoods everywhere. Emerging economies have been particularly hard hit because of their low-income levels, high population densities, weak medical infrastructure, and limited policy space. Many emerging economies entered the covid crisis with weak economic fundamentals; the crisis has made them weaker. Their governments are struggling to find the resources for expanding their health care facilities, rolling out vaccines, and providing a safety net to the most vulnerable of their populations.
The seminar by Dr. Subbarao will focus on some of the big policy challenges and dilemmas in the short and medium-term confronting emerging market economies as they navigate their way through this unusually sharp health and economic crisis.