Investment in health systems is critical to ensure a healthy society and economy. It helps to build up human capital and achieve higher standards of living. Inadequate health infrastructure may substantially harm economic activities, as evidenced during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is not a surprise to see that wealthier societies have healthier populations. Similarly, poverty and lower life expectancy is commonly an outcome of poor health systems that lack capacity to provide critical support in preventing and responding to the health crisis. Economic costs of responding to a health crisis is always higher than the costs of investments to be made on building resilience. Therefore, health systems strengthening and its economic implications found their place among the six priority areas of the Economic Circle.

The following themes are among the major headings to be covered in this focus area.