Women spend 25% more of their lives in poor health than men and are 50% more likely to die of a heart attack than a male patient.
The statistics are staggering - but there are some relatively simple and cost-effective ways healthcare systems can improve the situation.
Lucy Perez of the McKinsey Health Institute sets out the challenges and talks us through these potential solutions.
Links:
CARE for Women: Investing in Care Delivery to Improve Women's Lives and Livelihoods: https://www.weforum.org/publications/care-for-women-investing-in-care-delivery-to-improve-womens-lives-and-livelihoods/
Blog: CARE for Women: A high-impact investment in health system redesign: https://www.weforum.org/stories/2026/05/women-health-care-framework-mckinsey-wef/
Centre for Health and Healthcare: https://centres.weforum.org/centre-for-health-and-healthcare/home
McKinsey Health Institute: https://www.mckinsey.com/mhi/overview
Related podcasts:
Below the Belt: the movie that lifts the taboo on endometriosis: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/endometriosis-below-the-belt-movie/
Bridging the gap in women's health research, policy and innovation: Kearney: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/paula-bellostas-muguerza-kearney-womens-health/
Rare diseases: 1 billion reasons to care: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/rare-diseases/
Neurotechnology could help billions of people. Has its time come?:
https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/neurotechnology-jen-french-tom-oxley/
Check out all our podcasts on wef.ch/podcasts:
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@wef/podcasts
Radio Davos - subscribe: https://pod.link/1504682164
Meet the Leader - subscribe: https://pod.link/1534915560
Agenda Dialogues - subscribe: https://pod.link/1574956552