During our previous “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” dedicated blog entry we presented the 2nd SDG “ZERO HUNGER”. Following on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in this entry we present you the 3rd SDG “GOOD HEALTH AND WELL-BEING”. Undernutrition, chronic and acute malnutrition are conditions that affect the health and well-being of populations.
Learn more about the 3rd SDG: facts, targets and progress…
The 3rd Sustainable Development Goal
GOOD HEALTH AND WELL-BEING is the third global goal which aims to “ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages”. Health is a physical and mental condition, which is crucial for the development and creation of prosperous and strong societies. Hence, all people without exception need to have the right and ease to access basic healthcare services and overcome barriers to infectious diseases.
However, inequalities are observed among people living in the same society, thus jeopardising the wider social well-being. Yet, inequalities in healthcare services are more severe between countries, whereas especially developed and poor countries have an insufficient healthcare system with limited facilities and medical supplies, as well as lack of healthcare workers.
These inequalities are quite evident in countries situated in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia where there are increased cases of the infectious disease tuberculosis and display the most complications in maternal health along with low health index among children. In these regions the immunisation of populations is also low. Moreover, adult prevalence of HIV/AIDS is significantly higher in Sub-Saharan countries. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic was a great set-back for the attempts made through the years to balance healthcare systems, services and access worldwide. This situation has impacted greatly the aforementioned regions and other countries with weak health systems, whereas the “most fortunate” members of societies are more likely to receive a proper treatment in comparison with the “less fortunate”. Therefore, COVID-19 has shed light on the health inequalities that affect the health and well-being of people worldwide, hence calling for attention to meet the targets set in SDG-3 as soon as possible.
Targets
The main goal of this SDG is to achieve ‘health prosperity’ for all at all ages by the year 2030. Its specific targets – as defined in the official UN SDGs website – are to:
3.1 Reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births.
3.2 End preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age, with all countries aiming to reduce neonatal mortality to at least as low as 12 per 1,000 live births and under-5 mortality to at least as low as 25 per 1,000 live births.
3.3 End the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical diseases and combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases and other communicable diseases.
3.4 Reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being.
3.5 Strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse and harmful use of alcohol.
3.6 Halve the number of global deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents.
3.7 Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programmes.
3.8 Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all.
3.9 Substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination.
3.A Strengthen the implementation of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in all countries, as appropriate.
3.B Support the research and development of vaccines and medicines for the communicable and noncommunicable diseases that primarily affect developing countries, provide access to affordable essential medicines and vaccines, in accordance with the Doha Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health, which affirms the right of developing countries to use to the full the provisions in the Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights regarding flexibilities to protect public health, and, in particular, provide access to medicines for all.
3.C Substantially increase health financing and the recruitment, development, training and retention of the health workforce in developing countries, especially in least developed countries and small island developing States.
3.D Strengthen the capacity of all countries, in particular developing countries, for early warning, risk reduction and management of national and global health risks.
Progress
Through the years critical progress has been made in areas of health, especially to cope with leading sources of death and disease. Technological means and years of research are expected to bring even more crucial health related break throughs. However, health systems in the majority of countries appear to be incompetent, whereas in low and lower-middle income countries health systems are almost non-existent. Additionally, the pandemic has slowed down the progress in the area of health which inevitably makes it impossible to achieve most of the SDG-3 targets by the year 2030.
To accelerate health and well-being for all requires a contribution from all, including individual responsibility, actions by governments, organisations and so on.
CODECA aspires to be part of this combined effort to achieve SDG-3 particularly by facilitating access to healthcare services for marginalised groups. To accomplish that it is aimed to put ideas forward through EU and national projects so as to create sustainable interventions in the area of health and well-being.
Stay tuned to learn about the 4th Sustainable Development Goal!