“Health is not a luxury item or simply an outcome of development; it’s a fundamental human right, the means to development and the foundation of social, economic and political stability and security.” Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact worldwide. The effects of the pandemic have also further exacerbated health and social inequalities. Vast inequities also remain in COVID-19 response and vaccine distribution. It’s time to not only ‘Build Back Better’, but also to ‘Build Back Fairer’ and more sustainably. This means taking an integrated approach to health to address the economic, social and