Dubai, UAE – 15 October 2025 – Experts cautioned of the cost of underinvesting in the healthcare system in a panel during the Annual Meetings of the Global Future Councils and Cybersecurity 2025, taking place on 14-16 October at Dubai’s Madinat Jumeirah.
Organised by the UAE Government in partnership with the World Economic Forum (WEF), the event brings together more than 700 specialists and experts from 93 countries in 37 councils. The purpose of the Councils is to advance global efforts to build a sustainable future, improve the quality of life for communities, and create opportunities for future generations.
Mina Al-Oraibi, Editor-in-Chief of The National newspaper, moderated the session, guiding expert panellists through an engaging discussion on the global importance of healthcare.
Dr. Maha Barakat, Assistant Minister for Health and Life Sciences at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, highlighted the growing threat of emerging diseases, stating: “New diseases are jumping from animals to humans, while chronic illnesses like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer continue to claim millions of lives each year.”
She noted that polio remains a major challenge in Pakistan and Afghanistan, and that the final push to eradicate polio is critical, as failing to do so could allow it to spread again “like wildfire”.
“A healthy population is a prosperous one,” Dr. Barakat added, reflecting on the UAE’s legacy of humanitarian health initiatives. “Investing in healthcare is investing in a nation’s future, and while vaccinations defined the 20th century, AI will define the 21st.”
Meanwhile, Amit Bouri, Chief Executive Officer of the Global Impact Investing Network, USA, emphasised the urgent need to prioritise creating a healthy world and healthy societies.
For their part, Damiano de Felice, Chief of External Affairs at CARB-X, USA, and Alison Holmes, Professor of Infectious Diseases and Director of the Fleming Initiative at Imperial College London, discussed how climate change has become a major threat to global healthcare, while public awareness of this link is steadily increasing.
They went on to remark that the world cannot rely solely on pharmaceuticals to combat diseases. Instead, greater attention must be given to water, sanitation, and disease prevention to minimise outbreaks and safeguard communities. The panel agreed that this global meeting in Dubai provides a crucial platform to advance these priorities.
The expert speakers highlighted the growing importance of investment and private-sector collaboration in strengthening healthcare systems, collectively stressing that impact investors play a vital role in expanding access to vaccines and essential medicines by investing in local production capacities and improving distribution systems.
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