Global outlook c h a p t e r 1

A. Composition of fiscal support 
packages, by EMDE region
B. Fiscal impulse in EMDEs
C. Share of EMDEs pursuing fiscal 
consolidation
D. External debt service, by EMDE 
group
E. Public infrastructure spending 
losses due to inefficiency
F. Amount of support committed 
toward energy initiatives in 2020

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C H A P T E R 1 
G L O B A L E C O N O M I C P R O S P E C T S | J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 1 
51 
Improving the preparedness of health systems
As EMDEs continue to tackle the challenge of 
controlling the pandemic, several lessons can be 
drawn from the experience of countries that have 
achieved more durable containment of COVID-
19. Perhaps most importantly, these underscore 
the need for pandemic-control policies to reduce 
the spread of the virus with limited economic 
disruptions, such as universal masking and 
effective surveillance systems with high volumes of 
testing and large-scale contact tracing. Addi-
tionally, sustained and transparent communi-
cation efforts are required to build trust, help 
guard against pandemic-control fatigue, encourage 
proper social-distancing practices, and maintain 
widespread facial masking (figure 1.23.B). In 
particular, governments can leverage digital 
communication technologies to track the effects of 
COVID-19 in real time. As effective vaccines 
continue to be produced, EMDEs will need to 
shift focus to supporting vaccine procurement and 
dissemination.
The pandemic has highlighted the large gaps in 
healthcare systems across many EMDEs. In the 
longer run, increased investment in the domestic 
provision of health-care-related goods and services 
will be needed to enhance the preparedness of 
domestic health care systems. In addition, 
increased spending on epidemic preparedness 
measures is paramount to minimizing the human 
and economic costs of future health crises. 
Authorities need to leverage the power of mobile 
data to monitor and contain epidemics and assess 
resource and equipment needs in real time (World 
Bank 2020o).