While the COVID-19 pandemic showed us the healing power of science, it also highlighted the inequities in our world. The pandemic has revealed weaknesses in all areas of society and underlined the urgency of creating sustainable well-being societies committed to achieving equitable health now and for future generations without breaching ecological limits. In Health Focus, Walter Mwesigye speaks to experts on how access to services and information should be granted to all persons, irrespective of their sex, gender, age, abilities or disabilities but should be based on the assessment of need and context.