A new report urges G20 leaders to redefine health financing as a coordinated, strategic investment, leveraging both public and private sectors to build resilient, equitable health systems for all.
At the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) in Seville, experts and global leaders delivered a strong message: health financing must evolve beyond traditional public models. In a recent article for Diplomatic Courier, Hatice Beton, Roberto Durán-Fernández, Dennis Ostwald, and Rifat Atun argue that shrinking public budgets and rising private capital demand a new, strategic approach to investing in health. Health is not just a public service—it’s a pillar of economic security, national resilience, and global stability.
The WHO’s recent adoption of a resolution calling for increased domestic health investment and the release of the new Health Taxonomy report at the 2025 Health20 Summit signal a turning point. The report proposes a common investment framework, modelled on the EU’s green taxonomy, to guide public and private actors in aligning health spending with broader development goals. It also clarifies a common misunderstanding: health funding is not the same as health financing—and both must work together.
Strategic, coordinated investment in health can no longer wait. As the world prepares for future shocks, including potential pandemics, governments and investors must act with urgency. The next crisis will not wait for systems to catch up. The time to rethink and invest in health smartly and sustainably is now.
