Health and the Wellbeing Economy

David Somekh and Caroline Whyte spoke with Dr Tony Holohan, the former Chief Medical Officer of Ireland and the director of the new One Health Centre at University College Dublin. Tony and David reflected on the breakout session on health at the June 2024 Rethinking Growth conference. They discussed the need to emphasise community-based healthcare, the strong links between healthcare and the broader Wellbeing Economy movement, and the importance of tackling inequality, as it is a core determinant of poor health and was a major factor in the impacts of the COVID pandemic. Tony described how his career trajectory led him to be interested in the Wellbeing Economy, and explained how his current work on the WHO’s One Health initiative links with the work of the Wellbeing Economy Alliance. Other topics discussed included the need for a cross-sectoral approach, taking into account the health not only of humans, but also of animals and plants, and acknowledging that health has intrinsic value that goes beyond financial value.