Calls for a Public Inquiry on BAME COVID-19 impact

Calls for an independent public inquiry into the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on the UK’s BAME communities grow as nearly 90 signatories from BAME organisations across the UK have written to the Prime Minister demanding answers. The broad coalition of individuals backing the call includes writer and broadcaster Bonnie Greer OBE; Baroness Doreen Lawrence OBE; Dr Kailash Chand GP, Vice President, BMA; Fevzi Hussein GMB Union Race Chair; Kwame Kwei-Armah OBE, Artistic Director at the Young Vic and The Very Reverend Rogers Govender, Dean, Manchester Cathedral, among others.

Organised by The Ubele Initiative, a statement reads “we welcome the NHS’ Race Observatory proposal and Professor Dr Kevin Fenton’s appointment to lead a scientific review of COVID-19 deaths pertaining to BAME frontline staff, particularly those in the NHS, and the broader population in the UK.

While this data-led review is important from a public health perspective, an independent public inquiry would have a broader scope. It would provide a comprehensive exploration of all possible contributing factors that could explain the outsized effect Covid-19 has on BAME communities, killing up to four times as many as white people in some groups.”

Among the answers the group is seeking is from a broader scope Public Inquiry are;

The level of preparedness and emergency planning within central and local government in response to how they factored the needs and requirements of BAME communities in line with Public Sector Equalities Duty.
Examination of the level of funding and investment on public health, physical and social infrastructure in local authority areas where there is a significant BAME population and where there is a disproportionate death rate linked to COVID-19.
The impact of the government’s COVID-19 emergency powers and social distancing policy on BAME communities.

COVID-19 is clearly now one of the biggest issues in post-war history, directing a spotlight on race and health inequalities. By instigating such an inquiry, the government will provide an opportunity for a range of stakeholders to submit evidence through a transparent process. This would help to restore public confidence amongst the UK’s BAME communities. An inquiry will provide key findings and offer clear recommendations for systemic or transformational change around the role of the public sector and race equality in Britain.

About The Ubele Initiative

The Ubele Initiative (Ubele), is a civil society organisation based in London, though works across the United Kingdom and Europe, working with disadvantaged communities, most notably black and minority ethnic (BAME) communities. Ubele, is taken from Swahili and means ‘The Future’ and is an African Diaspora led intergenerational social enterprise founded in 2014. Our primary mission is to help build more sustainable communities across the UK. For further information, visit www.ubele.org