The World Economic Forum and the McKinsey Health Institute have released the “Blueprint to Close the Women’s Health Gap: How to Improve Lives and Economies for All.” The groundbreaking report highlights the economic and societal benefits of addressing disparities in women’s health.
- The report focuses on nine key health conditions—breast cancer, cervical cancer, menopause, endometriosis, premenstrual syndrome, postpartum hemorrhage, maternal hypertensive disorders, migraine, and ischemic heart disease—that contribute significantly to the women’s health gap, accounting for a third of the disparity.
Key Findings:
- Health Impact: Closing the women’s health gap could yield nearly 27 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) annually, equating to 2.5 extra healthy days per woman each year.
- Economic Impact: Addressing these disparities could add $400 billion to global GDP by 2040.
- Quality of Life: Women worldwide would experience improved health and well-being.
- The Women’s Health Impact Tracking (WHIT) Platform: The WHIT platform is introduced as a cutting-edge tool for measuring and tracking women’s health gaps globally, ensuring transparency and accountability in addressing these issues.
Five Key Actions:
- Count Women: Enhance global measurement of women’s health and outcomes.
- Study Women: Advance research into hormonal health and women’s unique biology.
- Care for Women: Incorporate women-specific conditions and sex-specific differences into clinical practice guidelines.
- Include All Women: Develop accessible solutions to ensure early diagnosis and treatment for women worldwide.
- Invest in Women: Increase funding for women’s health research and interventions.
