12. Oktober Rede der Bundesentwicklungsministerin Reem Alabali Radovan bei der World Health Summit Veranstaltung „Funding the Future: Unlocking the Economic and Fiscal Returns of Health Innovation“ in Berlin

Es gilt das gesprochene Wort

Excellencies,

Distinguished colleagues,

Friends,

Spending on health is one of the smartest investments we can make. Because healthy people build stronger economies and societies. In our partner countries as well as in Europe.

For me, it is a pleasure to speak to a room full of people who see health not only as a social priority, but also as a smart investment in our future.

Today, I want to share three core messages with you:

First, health is part of a country’s economic infrastructure.

Second, health investments generate measurable economic and fiscal returns.

And third, it’s not just about investing more. Governments, development partners and the private sector need to work together closely and invest smarter.

These convictions are also reflected in my ministry’s strategy to cooperate more closely with the private sector.

As an industrial and export nation, we know that our economic future depends on reliable partnerships with countries of the Global South – and health is a key part of those partnerships.

We all know the pressure facing health systems in many countries around the world: Conflicts, the climate crisis and repeated outbreaks of infectious diseases. Ageing populations and more chronic illnesses. Higher prices for medicines and new therapies. And a shortage of health workers.

But if we just ask ourselves: „How much does health cost us?“, we miss the real question: „How much do we gain if we invest in health now?“

Healthy people can learn, work, care for their families and participate in their communities. Strong health systems reduce unpaid care work, especially for women, and protect families from falling into poverty when someone gets sick.

Health systems are therefore part of the essential economic infrastructure of a country. Just like roads, schools and energy systems. Without strong health systems, there is no sustainable growth, no stable tax base and no social cohesion.

By contrast, with strong health systems, great returns on investment can be generated. So we need to change how we think about health financing. Too often, the focus lies on the size of health budgets – „X billion for health“.

It should be much more about the returns: How many lives are saved? How many workers can stay healthy and in their jobs? How many crises can we prevent?

Vaccines are a powerful example of great returns on investment. Germany is one of the largest donors to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. Together with other partners, Gavi supports routine immunisation in many low‑ and middle‑income countries. Since the year 2000, more than a billion children have received vaccines against diseases like measles, polio and malaria through Gavi. More than 20 million lives have been saved.

What is Gavi’s return on investment? Gavi estimates that 1 US dollar invested in vaccines can generate more than 50 dollars in wider economic and social benefits. Through Gavi, we protect children’s health, we keep them in school, we help parents remain in work, and we avoid costly outbreaks that destabilise economies.

Another example is the regional manufacturing of medicines, vaccines and diagnostics, especially on the African continent.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, efforts to expand regional manufacturing capacity for health products have accelerated significantly. Numerous new facilities, partnerships and policy initiatives are emerging across the continent. Germany, together with other European partners, has mobilised substantial resources to support this endeavour.

Factories and laboratories are being established and upgraded. New jobs are being created. Regulatory systems are being strengthened. In this way, African countries are taking important steps to enhance their health sovereignty and to reduce their exposure to vulnerable global supply chains.

These investments are clearly health investments. But they are also economic investments.

Naturally, we need to make the most of our resources. Ideally, by investing smarter. This requires governments, development partners and the private sector to work in genuine partnership. Successful health investments are rarely standalone projects. They work when companies are connected to stakeholders in research, regulation, finance and technology. Strong partnerships are therefore key to a smart investment approach.

We need partner governments to build strong health systems and to establish predictable demand.

We need development partners, like Team Europe, to strengthen frameworks, invest in infrastructure and de‑risk investments.

And we need private companies to bring their capital, technology and know‑how to the table.

Most importantly, solutions must be co‑designed. Health and finance ministries, industry, civil society and academia should develop solutions together, based on the partner countries’ own priorities. Our role as development cooperation actors is to listen, understand where the barriers are, and help unlock the investments and innovations our partners want.

What does all of this mean for us as an international community that aims to advance global health?

First, we need to measure health budgets by their returns: lives saved, crises avoided, productive years gained. Not just by their immediate costs.

Second, we need to support regional health initiatives and manufacturing capacity in Africa in order to prepare communities effectively for future crises.

And third, we need to work in genuine partnership and make use of the different strengths that the various actors bring to the table.

Ladies and gentlemen,

As you can see, health is one of the smartest investments for people worldwide. Let us use the Summit to make this happen.

Thank you for your attention.