Native American communities lashed by Covid, worsening chronic inequities

Pandemic deepened disparities in infrastructure, education and health care, non-profit leader says

Amid the Covid-19 pandemic the president of one of the largest Native American- run non-profits has warned that health and economic disparities are still seriously affecting Indigenous communities, despite some progress achieved by the Biden administration.

Josh Arce, president of the Partnerships with Native Americans (PWNA), told the Guardian in an interview that challenges affecting Indigenous groups ranged from health inequities such as high rates of diabetes, heart disease and other illnesses to inadequate infrastructure such as running water and reliable electricity. Nearly all of these problems were worsened by the pandemic.