SDGs - 3：Good Health And Well-being
Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all, at all ages.
For this reason, although only one of 17 SDGs targets is dedicated toward health compared with 3 of the original 8 MDGs, health-related issues addressed by the SDGs encompass a wider area. In addition to the original MDGs emphasis on reducing maternal, neonatal and child mortality rates (3.1, 3.2), focusing on reproductive health (3.7) and combating major communicable diseases (3.3), they also seek to reduce noncommunicable diseases and suicide rates (3.4), combat substance abuse (3.5), traffic accidents (3.6), and environmental pollution (3.9).
In addition, in terms of implementation and governance, reference is made to strengthening the implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (3.a), developing affordable vaccines and medicines for the general population and assisting training of medical staff in developing countries (3.c), the management of global health risks (3.d) are all topics that urge developed countries to take more rigorous institutional action.
The ultimate goal of SDGs, however, is to achieve universal coverage, including financial risk protection for all, essential health services, medicines and vaccines (3.8). Gao Xiaoling pointed out that the ultimate goal of "including everyone in health insurance" is still the original goal of returning to the SDGs of “leaving no one behind.”
photo credit: Carlo Navarro @ Unsplash
Health is the basic right of the individual
"Taiwan’s government has already implemented universal health insurance, with coverage reaching 99.6% of the population. However, there are still many countries where the health insurance system is in part publically financed but is also partially entrusted to private insurance companies," said Gao. That is, in most countries, the "health insurance" policy means the state signs contracts with different insurance companies and people can look for a matching insurance company according to their financial ability.
However, for developing countries, if the state is not responsible for universal health coverage, most citizens do not have the financial ability to buy insurance. Gao Xiaoling stressed: "In developing countries, the government must subsidize the whole nation with public funds, as it might fund public infrastructure. Otherwise, the poor will never have medical resources and will always be sick." Poor citizens in developed countries without the means to purchase private insurance also face similar problems.
"Health is a basic human right." Ko reaffirms that in the mindset of person centered SDGs, one should be able to "go to see a doctor in order to maintain personal health, whether or not you have money."
SDG-3 indicators are connected to other larger issues that are health related. For example ending malnutrition by 2030 and addressing the nutritional needs of adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating women and older persons (2.2); ensuring universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights (5.6); achieving universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all by 2030 (6.1); achieving access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations (6.2); ensuring universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services (7.1); reducing the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management (11.6); strengthening resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries (13.1); and significantly reducing all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere (16.1).
SDG objectives are interlocking, interconnecting and influence each other. Amartya Sen, a developmental economist, has argued that enabling all people to access health care services is a “constituent components of development.” Sen points to the linkages between medical public health and other social goals (such as education and the value of life). An individual with a good health status will be a strong actor in promoting the development process. Therefore, when we think about international medical and health-related cooperation programs, we can no longer focus on medical services alone. The related food security, nutrition, safe drinking water, education, climate and environment must also be considered simultaneously.
photo credit: MDG Monitor
