Across the globe, health-care workers have gone on strike to protest the stress placed on them by the global COVID-19 pandemic and economic downturn, pushing already-strained services beyond their limits. These labour actions are part of the challenges faced by countries attempting to provide welfare services to their populations.

In this episode of The Conversation Weekly podcast, we talk to three experts about why social welfare services are being cut, and what actions governments may need to take to ensure better access.