The counter above shows the total amount of debt repaid by 68 of the world’s poorest countries to rich countries and banks since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. No country should be forced to choose between paying back debts or providing health care in this time of crisis.

Uganda has just 55 intensive care unit (ICU) beds for a population of 42 million people. The country is spending $4.4 million on debt payments every week; in just one month, that money could pay for 280 more ICU beds to help those need urgent care.