“Leaders in emerging markets are under pressure. Economies are strained. Geopolitical tension is rising. Growth must be sustained. Yet policy debates often miss one core driver of national performance: health,” wrote Sgar Rangoonwala, senior vice-president of Johnson & Johnson EMEA Emerging Markets in The Citizen (4 Feb 2026)
Healthcare investment is a key driver of GDP growth because healthier societies are more productive, innovative, and resilient. When absenteeism falls and people remain active in the workforce, economies benefit from higher output and sustained talent. While infrastructure and technology have transformed developing markets, economic growth cannot be sustained if populations are unwell. Health spending should therefore be viewed as an investment, not a sunk cost.
Although public debate often blames medicines for rising health budgets, pharmaceuticals account for a relatively small share of global GDP. In contrast, innovation across medicines, diagnostics, digital tools, and care pathways can reduce long-term costs through earlier diagnosis, effective treatment, and prevention of costly complications.
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