**By **Gareth Presch
Healthcare today stands at a crossroads. Our systems have long operated on a “sick-care” model—reacting after illness occurs. Yet we face urgent challenges: looming workforce shortages, spiraling costs, and the disproportionate health impacts of climate change and inequality. The time has come to shift to a **prevention-first model **one rooted in community, wellbeing, and the care economy.
From Disease Treatment to True Prevention
I’ve witnessed this paradigm shift firsthand. At the World Health Innovation Summit, we champion holistic models like social prescribing, digital wellness tools, and place-based community hubs, all aimed at keeping people well before they fall sick.
Changing the system this way doesn’t just improve health, it can create meaningful work. You estimate that a prevention-oriented model alone could generate 80 million new jobs globally by 2030—a compelling figure that speaks to the potential of proactive health investments.
Aligning with the Care Economy
But let’s broaden the lens. The International Labour Organization projects that integrating care services—childcare, long-term care, family support—into public investment could yield up to 280 million jobs by 2030, and as many as 299 million by 2035, with nearly 80 percent of these roles held by women ref: International Labour Organization.
These aren’t just numbers, they represent a global care ecosystem, where health, community, and economic opportunities intersect.
Why Prevention and Care Fit Together
Prevention and care share a common infrastructure: they require local hubs, trusted community workers, accessible services, and resilient systems. When governments invest in care infrastructure or in job-rich projects that include nurseries, wellness centres, or flexible work supports, they also enable prevention models to flourish. As the ILO puts it, infrastructure spending can literally “build brighter futures through decent jobs” International Labour Organization.
The ILO estimates that every US $1 invested in closing childcare policy gaps could yield US $3.76 in global GDP by 2035, while boosting women’s employment rate by more than ten percentage points. In other words, prevention and care are not just good for health—they are among the smartest economic investments we can make.
This integrated approach ensures that health becomes a shared asset, not siloed within hospitals.
A Vision for the Future
Here’s how we bring this vision to life:
- Rethink infrastructure: Public investments should include community health hubs, on-site childcare, and flexible supports—not just roads or bridges.
- Build prevention into care: Embed wellness services and digital health into everyday community settings.
- Professionalise care roles: From early intervention specialists to social prescribers and wellbeing coaches—these jobs must be respected, fairly paid, and protected.
- Champion gender equity: With women poised to occupy up to 80 percent of new care economy jobs, this is a powerful lever for inclusive growth.
- Scale local solutions: Through platforms like WHIS, we can prototype and scale community-based prevention models—whether across Cumbria, Bangkok, or Nairobi—and knit them into city, national, and global strategies.
Final Reflections
We stand before a transformative opportunity. A prevention-led care economy could easily surpass the 80 million prevention-only job estimate, drawing us toward the 280–300 million job horizon the ILO outlines.
“By embedding prevention into the care economy, we’re not just saving lives—we’re building a global workforce, empowering women, and strengthening the fabric of society.” Gareth Presch, CEO, Founder World Health Innovation Summit
Health can be the foundation of everything: productivity, resilience, inclusion. If we invest in prevention and care together, we create value, not just for the health system, but for humanity.
About the Author
Gareth Presch is the CEO of the World Health Innovation Summit and Founder of the Global Social Prescribing Alliance. He is the former Chief Officer of the National Haemophilia Council in Ireland and a member of Pope Francis’ Vatican COVID-19 Commission. A global healthcare strategist, Gareth has advised governments, international organizations, and communities on building sustainable health systems. His vision is to enable thriving communities worldwide by aligning health innovation with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.