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Branchenkonferenz Gesundheitswirtschaft 2026 in Rostock (Germany)

The Health Economy drives employment, resilience, and growth in Germany and its regions. WifOR’s CEO presented figures from the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpormmern, where the sector accounts for one in every five local jobs. He also underscored that, across Germany, the Health Economy employs over four times more workers than the automobile branch. Prof. Ostwald also joined talks with state ministers and other stakeholders to discuss the prioritization of health investments.

10. June 2026 All day

Main takeaways:

  • The example of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern shows how health enhances welfare. In this state, the health sector represents 14,2% of the GDP – another key figure cited by the local government and shared by dpa Deutsche Presse-Agentur GmbH.
  • In Germany, the Health Economy supported more than four times as many jobs as the automobile branch. Moreover, every €1 generated in the sector created a further €0.8 in the total economy. Prioritizing health investments is therefore vital to stimulate growth, a topic we debated together with Manon Austenat-Wied of Die Techniker.
  • In times of labor shortages and pressure on health budgets, prevention also offers a lever to reduce healthcare costs and strengthen communities. I appreciated the discussion on this matter with the local Minister for Economic Affairs Wolfgang Blank, the Minister of Health Stefanie Drese, the Minister of Finance and Digitalization Heiko Geue, and the Managing Director of BioCon Valley GmbH Lars Bauer.