‘Disparities we had before played out during the pandemic’

British Medical Association chief Chaand Nagpaul on the government’s failure to protect ethnic minorities, and what can be done now.

London, United Kingdom – Black, Asian and other minorities in the United Kingdom have been disproportionately struck by COVID-19, with some communities still experiencing a higher rate of hospitalisations and deaths as the pandemic continues. Over the past year, several reports and studies have underscored that this bleak reality is a consequence of structural racism. In an interview with Al Jazeera, British Medical Association chief Chaand Nagpaul says the government must now acknowledge the “structural inequalities that have plagued our society for decades” if it is to address healthcare disparities.