Health as an Economic Engine: Growth, Productivity, and the Workforce

Health outcomes and economic performance are deeply interconnected, with population health shaping labor supply, productivity, and long-term growth. Many economies are already feeling the impact of health-related labor shortages, rising disability, and ageing populations on workforce participation and fiscal sustainability. This session will explore how investments in health can function as a driver of economic resilience rather than a fiscal burden. The discussion will focus on policy and financing models that link health spending to economic returns, and on strategies to ensure health systems continue to support growth in a changing global economy.