This is a decisive moment in the history of human health. Over the last century, society has made incredible progress in extending life. But while life expectancy has increased, so has the amount of time spent in moderate to poor health. And significant inequities persist both across and within countries. It’s time to set a more ambitious aspiration. An aspiration for everyone on the planet to add years to their lives and life to their years.

Humanity mobilized against COVID-19 at a speed and scale previously unseen. While far from perfect, our successes should inspire us to challenge what we think is possible. At its best, our response to COVID-19 demonstrates that when resources and motivation coalesce, scientific breakthroughs, and large-scale behavior change are possible in very short periods of time.

The McKinsey Health Institute (MHI) is an enduring, non-profit-generating entity within the firm. It was founded on the conviction that, over the next decade, humanity could add as much as 45 billion extra years of higher-quality life (roughly six years per person on average—and substantially more in some countries and populations). MHI’s mission is to catalyze the actions needed across continents, sectors, and communities to realize this possibility.