The National at WEF Dubai: Counting the cost of underinvesting in health

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  From left, Mina Al-Oraibi, Editor-in-Chief of The National, Maha Taysir Barakat, Assistant Minister for Health and Life Sciences at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amit Bouri, CEO of Global Impact Investing Network, Alison Holmes, professor of infectious diseases at Imperial College London, and Damiano de Felice, chief of external affairs at CARB-X, on the What is the Cost of Underinvesting in Health? panel, a World Economic Forum session held in Dubai. All photos: Victor Besa / The National

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  Mina Al-Oraibi, editor-in-chief of The National.

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  Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for AI, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, and Sylvia Earle, founder and leader of the Mission Blue Foundation, during the opening plenary of Annual Meetings of the Global Future Councils and Cybersecurity, in Dubai

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  Maha Taysir Barakat speaking at the session in Dubai

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  Amit Bouri makes a point

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  Borge Brende, WEF president and chief executive, gives the opening address of this year's annual meetings

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  Alison Holmes of Imperial College London at the WEF meeting

Dubai is the stage for a World Economic Forum meeting this week that serves as a precursor to Davos in January.

The National's Editor-in-Chief, Mina Al-Oraibi, hosted a discussion on Wednesday from the Madinat Jumeirah complex.

What is the cost of underinvesting in health?

Every $1 invested in health yields up to $4 in economic return, yet health systems remain chronically underfunded. From antimicrobial resistance to air pollution, aid cuts and digital health gaps, the cost of inaction is mounting. What are the societal and economic consequences of underinvesting in health, and how do we begin to address them?

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Speakers

Maha Taysir Barakat, Assistant Minister for Health and Life Sciences, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the UAE; Alison Holmes, Professor of Infectious Diseases; Director, Fleming Initiative, Imperial College London; Amit Bouri, Chief Executive Officer, Global Impact Investing Network; Damiano de Felice, Chief, External Affairs, CARB-X.