The economic case for investing in health as a means to achieving long-term growth took centre stage on the last day of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2014, in a session titled ‘Health is Wealth.’

The discussion of health at the annual meeting of world leaders from the public and private sectors marked a shift in the perceived relationship between health and economics.

Traditionally, the four-day meeting in Davos, Switzerland, has focused on the world economy, with attendees predominantly comprised of business leaders and politicians.

But in recent years, the forum has widened its scope to discuss pressing environmental and social issues, with health forming a key tenet of this year’s theme: The Reshaping of the World: Consequences for Society, Politics and Business.

“That we’re here at Davos and this topic has been featured as heavily as it has been is the big story,” said Francis S. Collins, director of the US National Institutes of Health, who called for an even greater focus on health on next year’s Annual Meeting agenda.

Moderating the ‘Health is Wealth’ session, president and editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post Media Group Arianna Huffington urged for a focus on prevention over cure, calling for “healthcare as opposed to sick care” to form the heart of the debate.

Global leaders - representing nearly 100 countries - were near unanimous in their agreement that public health and economic prospects are intrinsically linked.

“Health doesn’t just make us happier. It helps economic growth,” said Mauricio Cárdenas, Minister of Finance and Public Credit of Colombia. “We have to think of health as an investment decision.”