Philippine Normal University

College of Education
Faculty of Education Sciences
Taft Avenue, Manila

UNIT 2. TRANSFORMING THE WORLD: THE 2030 AGENDA FOR

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
B. 17 Sustainable Development Goals to transform the world
SDG 3 Ensure Healthy Lives and Promote Well-Being for All at All
Ages
(A Paper Report)

Presented to:
Dr. Camila C. Gonzales
(Professor)

In Partial Fulfillment
of the Course Requirement
in Professional Education 13 (Developments in Education)

Submitted by:
Bringino, Ramel B.
IV-4 BSE FILIPINO

Semester II, S.Y. 2016-2017

November 25, 2016
SUSTAINABLE DEVELEOPMENT GOAL 3:
ENSURE HEALTHY LIVES AND PROMOTE WELL-BEING
FOR ALL AT ALL AGES

I. OVERVIEW

Ensuring healthy lives and promoting the well-being for all at all
ages is essential to sustainable development. Significant strides
have been made in increasing life expectancy and reducing some
of the common killers associated with child and maternal mortality. Major progress has
been made on increasing access to clean water and sanitation, reducing malaria,
tuberculosis, polio and the spread of HIV/AIDS. However, many more efforts are needed
to fully eradicate a wide range of diseases and address many different persistent and
emerging health issues.

We have made huge strides in reducing child mortality, improving maternal health and
fighting HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases. Since 1990, there has been an over 50
percent decline in preventable child deaths globally. Maternal mortality also fell by 45
percent worldwide. New HIV/AIDS infections fell by 30 percent between 2000 and 2013,
and over 6.2 million lives were saved from malaria.

Despite this incredible progress, more than 6 million children still die before their fifth
birthday every year. 16,000 children die each day from preventable diseases such as
measles and tuberculosis. Every day hundreds of women die during pregnancy or from
child-birth related complications. In many rural areas, only 56 percent of births are
attended by skilled professionals. AIDS is now the leading cause of death among
teenagers in sub-Saharan Africa, a region still severely devastated by the HIV epidemic.

These deaths can be avoided through prevention and treatment, education, immunization
campaigns, and sexual and reproductive healthcare. The Sustainable Development
Goals make a bold commitment to end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and
other communicable diseases by 2030. The aim is to achieve universal health coverage,
and provide access to safe and affordable medicines and vaccines for all. Supporting
research and development for vaccines is an essential part of this process as well.

As one of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the UN at the September
2015 global summit held in New York, SDG 3 better health care and general well-being
has always been a major challenge, especially in the developing world.
Workers in various industries that are supposed to propel economic growth can only
maximize their productivity if they are physically well and fit to comfortably handle their
jobs magnitudes. The rest of the SDGs, which are all aimed at fuelling economic growth
in the long run, thus somewhat depend on the implementation of this goal.

II. TARGETS
By 2030, reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live
births

By 2030, 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

By 2030, end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical
diseases and combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases and other communicable diseases
By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable
diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being

Strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic

drug abuse and harmful use of alcohol
By 2020, halve the number of global deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents

By 2030, 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

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

By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous
chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination

Strengthen the implementation of the World Health Organization Framework

Convention on Tobacco Control in all countries, as appropriate

Support the research and development of vaccines and medicines for the
communicable and non-communicable 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
 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

Strengthen the capacity of all countries, in particular developing countries, for early
warning, risk reduction and management of national and global health risks

III. GOALS IN ACTION

KEEPING CHILDREN WORM-FREE IN TANZANIA

Investing in preventive treatment helps tackle widespread tropical diseases in Africa
By UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME
SEPTEMBER 9TH, 2016

Tanzania is known for its vast wilderness areas. With 16 national parks, including the
famed Serengeti National Park, and 29 game reserves, this East African country has
some of the continents greatest concentrations of wild animals.

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Yet like many African countries, this large and geographically diverse country has its fair
share of tropical diseases. These include malaria, dengue and schistosomiasis.

Also known as snail fever, schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease carried by fresh water
snails. It is one of the most widespread tropical diseases in the world after malaria,
affecting more than 249 million people globally, including 100 million children.
The disease poses a huge health burden in developing countries, especially in Africa
where more than 90% of the infections occur. In Tanzania, the first cases of
schistosomiasis were reported in the early 19th century.

A lack of sufficient hygiene and activities such as swimming or fishing in infested water
make school-aged children especially vulnerable to infection. The disease is also more
common in poor communities without adequate access to safe drinking water and
sanitation.

Abdominal pain, diarrhea and blood in the stool or urine are common symptoms of
schistosomiasis. The effects on children can be quite dire - causing anemia, stunting and
impaired learning, although the effects are usually reversible with treatment.

Prevention goes a long way towards addressing the problem. Yet only 27% of the 10.8
million people in Tanzania who require preventive treatment for schistosomiasis received
it in 2014.Only 27% of the people in Tanzania requiring preventive treatment
in 2014.
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The Access and Delivery Partnership (ADP) - led by UNDP and in collaboration with
the WHO Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Disease and PATH -
helps build national capacities for the delivery of new health technologies for tuberculosis,
malaria, and neglected tropical diseases like schistosomiasis.

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Part of these efforts includes ensuring that preventative medication for schistosomiasis
reaches children in areas that are most vulnerable.

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To tackle this important public health problem, the Government of Tanzania has been
implementing periodic, large-scale population treatment with Praziquantel tablets. This,
combined with access to safe drinking water, improved sanitation and snail control, helps
reduce transmission of the disease.
 Access to safe drinking water, improved sanitation and snail control also

Drug distribution points are often set up in schools. More than 700 children at this school
outside of the capital city Dar es Salaam receive preventive treatment twice a year
through the government programme. ADP also supports the training of front-line health
workers to effectively deliver the preventive treatment to school children.
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Children must take the medication on a full stomach, usually two hours after eating. A
traditional Tanzanian meal of hearty rice and beans usually does the trick.
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Usually, children bring a packed lunch from home to school, but every six months we
give them a hot meal as part of the mass drug administration programme, said the school
head mistress. ROW

Until recently, the preventive treatment needs of younger children (infants and pre-school
children) had largely been overlooked. A consortium of public and private institutions and
national stakeholders in Tanzania such as the Ifakara Health Institute, with support from
the Global Health Innovative Technology (GHIT) Fund, is now working on developing a
new pediatric formulation of praziquantel. When this preventive medication becomes
available, it will be distributed to younger children as part of the large-scale population
treatment campaign.

Thanks to support from the Government of Japan, Tanzania is one of the three pilot
countries where ADP is working in partnership with national stakeholders to improve
health outcomes, including keeping children worm-free. This is achieved through new
health technologies, such as the pediatric praziquantel, better supply chain management
systems, and focused investments in existing health systems.

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 GIVING A VOICE TO WOMEN SURVIVORS IN GUATEMALA
By UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME
SEPTEMBER 8TH, 2016

We couldnt stand the hunger, we were homeless, and everything had been destroyed.
We were desperate, and so my mother decided to give herself up to the squadron But
instead of welcoming us, they hurt us, recalls Elena de Paz, who was raped by soldiers
in 1982. She was only 12 years old.
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More than 30 years after she saw her family and community torn apart by Guatemalas
decades-long civil war, Elena decided to tell her story. She was one of the 97 witnesses
who testified during a trial for genocide and crimes against humanity in 2013.FILL ROW

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It is vital for there to be justice because I do not want my children to go through such a
terrible ordeal. I do not want such things to happen to anybody ever again.
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Armed conflict and violence can have a devastating impact on a countrys development.
It stunts economic growth, but also creates long-standing grievances among and between
communities that can last for generations. Its the unaccounted crimes of sexual violence,
torture, and exploitation that often get buried at the expense of reaching a political
solution; leaving victims and survivors always the most vulnerable to live with the
consequences.

Around 20,000 relatives of victims have received legal and psychosocial support each
year during the process of searching for the remains of their loved ones.
The project also supports prosecutors and judges with specialized experts and training
courses on international law. This helps coordination between prosecutors, civil society
organizations, forensic anthropologists, UN agencies such as OHCHR and UN WOMEN,
as well as other international organizations.
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Goal 16 aims to significantly reduce all forms of violence, and to help communities with
access to justice and lasting solutions. Strengthening the rule of law and promoting
human rights is key to this process, as well as fostering sustainable development.
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UNDP supports state institutions and civil society to fully exercise the right to truth, justice
and reparations for victims, and promotes measures to ensure that these violations of
human rights do not happen again.

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 COMMUNITY RADIO MAKES WAVES IN LAO PDR
By UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME
SEPTEMBER 8TH, 2016
Education is central to advancing human development. By empowering people to
determine their own destinies, education can transform individual lives, as well as those
of families, communities and nations.

In the Lao Peoples Democratic Republic, where 63 percent of the countrys population
live in remote and mountainous communities, basic education has yet to reach many
communities. Radio remains the primary source of information for many of these
communities, and is now playing an even more vital educational role.
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I try to make people understand the importance of education and keeping their children
in school. At the moment, a lot of our young people leave school early, said Mouddala
Keonheun, a school teacher who also volunteers at the UNDP-supported Lakonepheng
Community Radio Station.
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Radio Station

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UNDP has been working with the Lao Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism to
support community radio stations in providing not only basic information on health and
sanitation, but also programmes that focus on education.
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Staying in school and learning is better for the childrens future. But so many cant stay.
Thats why community radio is so important, to teach those who want to learn, and to
give people without an education a way to be heard, added Mouddala.

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Mouddala broadcasts a basic education programme which reaches more than 45,000
people, many of whom would otherwise not receive any education. It is well documented
that the lack of adequate schooling contributes significantly to poverty in Laos.

Each station is run by volunteers who create content based on local issues and news.
Programmes also focus on the poor and more disadvantaged homes, as well as giving a
voice to marginalized groups such as women and ethnic minorities.
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The programme has resulted in broader changes in increasing vaccination rates, more
women using health facilities, and improved natural disaster preparedness and recovery.

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 THE CLIMATE SHIFTS. BHUTAN RESPONDS.
By UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME
SEPTEMBER 8TH, 2016

If you want to action great ideas, you need to apply the strength of a Himalayan
mountain. - Bhutanese Proverb

A CHANGING ENVIRONMENT

Perched in the Himalayas at an average elevation of 2,220 m, Bhutan (the fourth-highest

country in the world), is particularly vulnerable to health risks posed by changes in its
climate. Dengue fever, never detected in Bhutan until 2004, is now endemic during the
monsoon period. Diarrhoeal diseases are responsible for as much as 15% of Bhutans
annual morbidity. Glacial lake outburst floods have claimed scores of lives and destroyed
multiple villages since the 1950s.

Working on the UNDP-supported project: Reducing Climate Change-induced

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Monitoring work to reduce impacts of glacial lake outburst floods is done

High altitude ecosystems, such as Bhutans, face special climate change-related hazards.
A growing body of evidence suggests that elevation amplifies the rate of warming, with
serious consequences for health: shrinking glaciers and water reservoirs; expansions to
the range of mosquitoes and sandflies, and attendant increases in diseases such as
malaria, dengue, and visceral leishmaniasis; more frequent flash floods and landslides;
and a higher incidence of water-borne illnesses.

AD APTING TO PROTECT PUBLIC HEALT H

Despite the susceptibility of Bhutans public health to climate change, the country has
worked hard to strengthen its capacity to adapt to climate change. An important
innovation of the Bhutanese initiative is linking climate data with epidemiological
surveillance.
At six combined health/meteorological centres throughout Bhutan, cases of diarrhoea,
acute respiratory infections, malaria, dengue, visceral leishmaniasis, and Japanese
encephalitis are monitored and recorded, and linked with climate data and insect counts.
The result is a national health system with more data on the relationship between
meteorological variables and public health, greater resilience to climate change, and more
advance warning for climate sensitive diseases.

The result is a national health system with more data on the relationship between
meteorological variables and public health, greater resilience to climate change, and more
advance warning for climate sensitive diseases.

CHANGE IS IN THE W AT ER

The data initiative is complemented with water projects employing sustainable

techniques. Through Bhutans Public Health Engineering Division, more than 100
composting toilets have been constructed and installed. These toilets require no water to
operate, reducing demand on dwindling water supplies. They also serve to prevent
human waste from making its way into water supplies, reducing diarrhoeal diseases by
more than a third significant in a country where nearly 20,000 children under five with
diarrhoeal illnesses are treated annually
 Water Quality Monitoring in Project ArFILL ROW

Public Health Early Warning Systems in Action

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Other sustainable water practices include efforts to harvest and store rainfall more
effectively; revive spring sources through water catchment development; and implement
the practice of greywater management showing the confluence of sustainable
development, climate change adaptation, and public health.

DRIVING CLIMATE CHAN GE ISSUES TO THE FOR EGROUND

The wind never stops blowing and the river never rests. - Bhutanese Proverb

Bhutans government, with support from WHO and UNDP, is endeavoring to harness the
lessons learned in order to mainstream climate change issues into government policies,
strategies, and plans, and to develop action plans for climate change adaptation.

For example, Bhutans response to climate change included the development of a Water
Safety Plan (WSP) - a comprehensive approach to risk assessment and management
that includes all steps in the water supply from catchment to consumer. The WSP is being
implemented nationwide and is expected to improve the safety of drinking water supplies
in the country
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Bhutan is one of seven pilot countries in the Piloting Climate Change Adaptation to
Protect Public Health initiative, jointly implemented by the World Health Organization
(WHO) and UNDP-Global Environment Facility (GEF).

The initiative, financed by the GEFs Special Climate Change Fund, works to identify and
share solutions to address health risks caused and exacerbated by climate change.

The seven countries Barbados, Bhutan, China, Fiji, Jordan, Kenya and Uzbekistan
represent four distinctly vulnerable environments (Highlands, Small Islands, Arid
Countries and Urban environments) and their related health risks.

All seven countries in this global health project are working to enhance systems of early
warning and early action, increase capacity, reduce health risks, and to share lessons
learned.
VII. CONCLUSION
The statistics are pretty cringe-worthy but, on the whole, we are making positive progress,
considering the global health situation some decades back. Progress towards achieving
this Sustainable Development Goal should be handled with the seriousness it calls for
because its at the center of whether or not we are going to achieve the rest of the goals.

OTHER READINGS:
PROGRESS OF GOAL 3
Goal 3 seeks to ensure health and well-being for all, at every stage of life. The
Goal addresses all major health priorities, including reproductive, maternal and child
health; communicable, non-communicable and environmental diseases; universal health
coverage; and access for all to safe, effective, quality and affordable medicines and
vaccines. It also calls for more research and development, increased health financing,
and strengthened capacity of all countries in health risk reduction and management.
Between 2000 and 2015, the global maternal mortality ratio, or number of maternal
deaths per 100,000 live births, declined by 37 percent, to an estimated ratio of 216 per
100,000 live births in 2015. Almost all maternal deaths occur in low-resource settings and
can be prevented. Globally, 3 out of 4 births were assisted by skilled health-care
personnel in 2015. Under-five mortality rates fell rapidly from 2000 to 2015, declining by
44 per cent globally. Nevertheless, an estimated 5.9 million children under the age of 5
died in 2015, with a global under-five mortality rate of 43 per 1,000 live births. The
neonatal mortality rate, that is, the likelihood of dying in the first 28 days of life, declined
from 31 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2000 to 19 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2015.
Over that period, progress in the rate of child survival among children aged 1 to 59 months
outpaced advances in reducing neonatal mortality; as a result, neonatal deaths now
represent a larger share (45 per cent) of all under-five deaths.
Preventing unintended pregnancy and reducing adolescent childbearing through
universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services are critical to further
advances in the health of women, children and adolescents. Worldwide, in 2015,
approximately 3 in 4 women of reproductive age (15 to 49 years of age) who were married
or in union satisfied their need for family planning by using modern contraceptive
methods; in sub-Saharan Africa and Oceania, however, the share was less than half.
Childbearing in adolescence has steadily declined in almost all regions, but wide
disparities persist: in 2015, the birth rate among adolescent girls aged 15 to 19 ranged
from 7 births per 1,000 girls in Eastern Asia to 102 births per 1,000 girls in sub-Saharan
Africa.
The incidence of major infectious diseases, including HIV, tuberculosis and
malaria, has declined globally since 2000. Globally in 2015, the number of new HIV
infections among all people was 0.3 new infections per 1,000 uninfected people; 2.1
million people became newly infected that year. The incidence of HIV was highest in sub-
Saharan Africa, with 1.5 new cases per 1,000 uninfected people. In 2014, 9.6 million new
cases of tuberculosis (133 cases per 100,000 people) were reported worldwide, with 58
per cent of them in South-Eastern Asia and the Western Pacific. Almost half the worlds
population is at risk of malaria and, in 2015, the incidence rate was 91 new cases per
1,000 people at risk, an estimated total of 214 million cases. Sub-Saharan Africa
accounted for 89 per cent of all malaria cases worldwide, with an incidence rate of 235
cases per 1,000 people at risk. In 2014, at least 1.7 billion people, in 185 countries,
required treatment for at least one neglected tropical disease.
According to estimates from 2012, around 38 million deaths per year, accounting
for 68 per cent of all deaths worldwide, were attributable to noncommunicable diseases.
Of all deaths among persons under the age of 70, commonly referred to as premature
deaths, an estimated 52 per cent were as a result of noncommunicable diseases. Over
three quarters of premature deaths were caused by cardiovascular disease, cancer,
diabetes and chronic respiratory disease. Globally, premature mortality from those four
main categories of noncommunicable disease declined by 15 per cent between 2000 and
2012. Reducing tobacco use will be critical for meeting the proposed target of reducing
premature mortality from noncommunicable diseases by one third. In 2015, over 1.1
billion people consumed tobacco, with far more male (945 million) than female (180
million) smokers.
Unhealthy environmental conditions increase the risk of both noncommunicable
and infectious diseases, which is reflected in the strong integrated nature of the Goals. In
2012, an estimated 889,000 people died from infectious diseases caused largely by
faecal contamination of water and soil and by inadequate hand-washing facilities and
practices resulting from poor or non-existent sanitation services. In 2012, household and
ambient air pollution resulted in some 6.5 million deaths.
Substance use and substance-use disorders have also created a significant public
health burden. Worldwide, average alcohol consumption in 2015 was estimated at 6.3l of
pure alcohol per person among those aged 15 or older, with wide variations across
countries. Alcohol consumption was highest in the developed regions (10.4l per person)
and lowest in Northern Africa (0.5l per person). In 2013, only about 1 in 6 people
worldwide suffering from drug-use disorders received treatment. Approximately 1 in 18
people with drug-use disorders received treatment in Africa that year, compared with 1 in
5 in Western and Central Europe.
Mental disorders occur in all regions and cultures. The most common are anxiety
and depression, which, not infrequently, can lead to suicide. In 2012, an estimated
800,000 people worldwide committed suicide, and 86 per cent of them were under the
age of 70. Globally, suicide is the second leading cause of death among those between
the ages of 15 and 29.
 Around 1.25 million people died from road traffic injuries in 2013. Halving the
number of global deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents by 2020 is an ambitious
goal given the dramatic increase in the number of vehicles, which nearly doubled between
2000 and 2013.
Total official flows from all providers for medical research and basic health sectors
were $8.9 billion in 2014. Within this total, official development assistance (ODA) from
DAC donors was $4.5 billion in 2014, an increase of 20 per cent in real terms since 2010,
with the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of
America accounting for $2.6 billion of that total. In 2014, $1 billion was spent on malaria
control and $1.2 billion was spent on other infectious diseases, excluding AIDS.

Source: Report of the Secretary-General, "Progress towards the Sustainable

Development Goals", E/2016/75

Facts and Figures

Child health
17,000 fewer children die each day than in 1990, but more than six million children
still die before their fifth birthday each year
Since 2000, measles vaccines have averted nearly 15.6 million deaths
Despite determined global progress, an increasing proportion of child deaths are
in sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia. Four out of every five deaths of children under
age five occur in these regions.
Children born into poverty are almost twice as likely to die before the age of five
as those from wealthier families.
Children of educated motherseven mothers with only primary schoolingare
more likely to survive than children of mothers with no education.
Maternal health
Maternal mortality has fallen by almost 50 per cent since 1990
In Eastern Asia, Northern Africa and Southern Asia, maternal mortality has
declined by around two-thirds
But maternal mortality ratio the proportion of mothers that do not survive
childbirth compared to those who do in developing regions is still 14 times higher than
in the developed regions
 More women are receiving antenatal care. In developing regions, antenatal care
increased from 65 per cent in 1990 to 83 per cent in 2012
Only half of women in developing regions receive the recommended amount of
health care they need
Fewer teens are having children in most developing regions, but progress has
slowed. The large increase in contraceptive use in the 1990s was not matched in the
2000s
The need for family planning is slowly being met for more women, but demand is
increasing at a rapid pace
HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
At the end of 2014, there were 13.6 million people accessing antiretroviral therapy
New HIV infections in 2013 were estimated at 2.1 million, which was 38 per cent
lower than in 2001
At the end of 2013, there were an estimated 35 million people living with HIV
At the end of 2013, 240 000 children were newly infected with HIV
New HIV infections among children have declined by 58 per cent since 2001
Globally, adolescent girls and young women face gender-based inequalities,
exclusion, discrimination and violence, which put them at increased risk of acquiring HIV
HIV is the leading cause of death for women of reproductive age worldwide
TB-related deaths in people living with HIV have fallen by 36% since 2004
There were 250 000 new HIV infections among adolescents in 2013, two thirds of
which were among adolescent girls
AIDS is now the leading cause of death among adolescents (aged 1019) in Africa
and the second most common cause of death among adolescents globally
In many settings, adolescent girls right to privacy and bodily autonomy is not
respected, as many report that their first sexual experience was forced
As of 2013, 2.1 million adolescents were living with HIV
Over 6.2 million malaria deaths have been averted between 2000 and 2015,
primarily of children under five years of age in sub-Saharan Africa. The global malaria
incidence rate has fallen by an estimated 37 per cent and the mortality rates by 58 per
cent
 Between 2000 and 2013, tuberculosis prevention, diagnosis and treatment
interventions saved an estimated 37 million lives. The tuberculosis mortality rate fell by
45 per cent and the prevalence rate by 41 per cent between 1990 and 2013

SDG 3 Substantial Improvement of Health Situation over Time

According to a report by the WHO, between 1970 and 2010, life expectancy in developing
countries shot from 40 to 70.1 years while child mortality rate fell from 89 to 51 per 1,000
live births between 1990 and 2011. This is partly due to improved health care services
among various countries across the globe, something we should be proud of as the
international community. But then, in spite of this progress, its sad to learn that so many
people in developing countries are still falling victim of preventable diseases such as
malaria, tuberculosis and HIV.

HIV Poses a Major Threat in Sub-Saharan Africa

In 2013, around 35 million people around the world were living with the HIV virus, 25
million of them from Sub-Saharan Africa. In the same year, there were 2.1 million new
cases of the infection worldwide, 38% lower than the 2001 estimate. 240,000 of them
were children and 250,000 adolescents, two thirds of which were girls.
The total number of adolescents living with the virus in the year was estimated at 2.1
million. As of 2014, HIV was the leading cause of death among women of reproductive
age in the world. Of the 13.6 million people taking antiretroviral therapy, only 6.4 million
were women. According to a report by the United Nations World Health Organization
(WHO), HIV is currently the leading cause of adolescent deaths in Africa and the second
biggest cause of deaths of adolescents globally.
Adolescent girls (aged 10-19) and young women have been shown to make for the better
part of the tally due to the violence, discrimination, exclusion and gender based
inequalities which puts them at a higher risk of contracting the disease. In many cases,
the bodily autonomy and privacy of most adolescent girls is not respected as most of them
report having their first sexual experienced forced.

Malaria
Malaria, on the other hand, is not as deadly as HIV but the number of deaths attached to
it over the past three decades has made it a major point of concern too. Between 2000
and 2015, malaria has caused more than 6.2 million deaths with more than 60% of the
total tally being children under five years in Sub-Saharan Africa. The global malaria
deaths total has fallen by around 37% and the mortality rate by 58% over the past 15
years.

Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis was among the deadliest and most feared ailments during the 90s, but
since the turn of the century, cases of infection and death arising directly from it have
fallen by a staggering 46%. 37 million lives were saved by prevention, diagnosis and
treatment interventions of the disease between 2000 and 2013. Over that period, the
tuberculosis prevalence rate fell by 41% and the mortality rate by a remarkable 45%. Also,
since 2004, TB-related deaths of HIV positive people has reduced by 36%.

Child Mortality and Health

On general child health, the number of children who die each day has reduced by 17,000
since 1990, but more than 6 million children below the age of five still die each year.
Education has shown to play a role in the prevention of mortality rates as children of
educated mothers, even those who didnt proceed past primary school, have higher
chances of living past the age of five than children of uneducated mothers.
Also, children from poor and extremely poor families are twice as likely to die before their
fifth birthdays as their counterparts from wealthy families. There have been global
endeavors to try and curb the situation, but still the proportion of child mortality in Southern
Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa has been on a steady rise. A statistic shows that four fifths
of all child deaths occur in these two regions.

Maternal Mortality
Perhaps the most remarkable improvement, as far as global health is concerned, over
the past two decades is maternal mortality, which has fallen by 50% since 1990. The
prevalence in Northern Africa and some parts of Asia has fallen by two thirds, and this
could be largely due to the increase in antenatal care from 65% in 1990 to 83% in 2012.
Even with this increase though, little over 50 per cent of women in developing countries
can access sufficient health care.
The gap between developing and developed nations with respect to this is perhaps the
most unsightly facet of the maternity health subject as the proportion of women who do
not survive childbirth relative to those who do is 14 times higher in developing countries
than in developed ones.

How can corporates align their business models and social investments with
SDG 3?
Healthcare budgets around the world are under a lot of pressure and in many countries
healthcare systems are crumbling. The age old mantra seems to ring true, namely that
one can only pick two out of the three key attributes that would ideally describe any
healthcare system affordability, universality, and quality. Universal and good quality
healthcare has a very high price tag; a system that is affordable and universal often lacks
in quality health outcomes; and affordable quality healthcare is often restricted to the
higher socio-economic segments of the population.
This conundrum is exactly what makes SDG 3 an interesting and powerful one. It
recognizes that firstly, large unmet health needs are equally present in developing and
developed nations. Secondly, significant health inequalities exist within nation states.
Thirdly, sustainable solutions will likely come from collaboration between the public,
private and the not-for-profit sectors as well as from cross-sector and cross-country
collaboration between actors in the health, technology and financial services industries.
Here are some examples of organizations aligning their operations, employee skills and
societal and community investments to key health challenges:
New businesses like Omada Health, based out of San Francisco, are starting up with
the core purpose of preventing non-communicable chronic diseases;
GSK has committed to reinvesting 20% of profits made in least developed countries
back into those countries to develop health infrastructure;
Johnson & Johnson has been working with partners to support frontline healthcare
workers in the worlds poorest countries;
Amways Power of 5 campaign aims to raise awareness and address malnutrition,
which is a significant contributing factor in around half of global under-five deaths.
SDG number 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages, with its
specific goals and targets for improving health outcomes, will serve as a global compass
to direct public and private investment towards the most pressing health issues. National
implementation plans will be formulated on the back of the new SDGs. All of these will be
very helpful for companies deciding where and how to invest their financial and non-
financial resources. Global health priorities are clear. Collaborative solutions exist. Now
it is time for action.

RELATED NEWS

Enhancing food security, health and well-being in Small Island Developing States
INFORMATION By UNDESA/DSD on 14 Oct 2015
14 OCT 2015 - A two day Ministerial Meeting on Food Security and Climate Adaptation
in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) opened today in Milan. Organized by the United
Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, FAO and the Italian Government,
the meeting is attended by representatives of 26 SIDS including 14 Ministers, 14
Ambassadors and other governmental and non-governmental experts.
The Meeting will explore the implications of the S.A.M.O.A. Pathway, the action plan for
the sustainable development of SIDS adopted in September 2014 in Samoa, as it relates
to food security and nutrition and climate change adaptation, also in connection with the
recently adopted Sustainable Development Goals. The ultimate objective of the Meeting
is to enhance food security, health and wellbeing in SIDS.
Ministers and Ambassadors are envisioned to share experiences and present initial plans
for national and regional level implementation, and articulate areas where further support
and capacity development is needed.
Perspectives from leading experts in the field of food security and from representatives
of UN entities, other relevant regional and global entities, the private sector and partner
governments are also featured in the programme, with a focus on the following six areas:
1. Resilience of agriculture and fisheries to climate change and disasters
2. SIDS Vision for a Food Sustainable agriculture and fisheries
3. Improving rural livelihoods of smallholders and family farmers, especially for
women
4. Nutrition, health and non communicable diseases
5. Trade and access to food
6. Partnerships to advance food security
The outcome of the meetings will be published and distributed to a range of policymakers
and other stakeholders. It is anticipate that the Meetings would also be a breeding ground
for concrete partnerships to advance SIDS food security and resilience. The outcomes
will also contribute to the action programme to address food and nutrition challenges of
SIDS, called for in paragraph 61 of the SAMOA Pathway.
SIDS Ministers, Permanent Representatives to the United Nations and other participants
will also participate in the celebrations of World Food Day on 16 October.

Special Session of the United Nations Assembly on the World Drug Problem

INFORMATION
19 Apr 2016 - 21 Apr 2016
New York, United States
The UN General Assembly will hold a Special Session (UNGASS) on drugs in 2016. This
Special Session will be an important milestone in achieving the goals set in the policy
document of 2009 "Political Declaration and Plan of Action on International Cooperation
towards an Integrated and Balanced Strategy to Counter the World Drug Problem", which
defined action to be taken by Member States as well as goals to be achieved by 2019.
In March 2014, the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) conducted the high-level, mid-
term review of the progress made in the implementation of the Political Declaration and
Plan of Action, the results of which are included in the Joint Ministerial Statement adopted.
Member States identified achievements, challenges and priorities for further action on the
way to the target date of 2019.
Connecting Global Priorities: Biodiversity and Human Health
World Health Organization and Secretariat of the Convention on Biological
Diversity, 2015
Biodiversity, ecosystems and the essential services that they deliver are central pillars for
all life on the planet, including human life. They are sources of food and essential
nutrients, medicines and medicinal compounds, fuel, energy, livelihoods and cultural and
spiritual enrichment. They also contribute to the provision of clean water and air, and
perform critical functions that range from the regulation of pests and disease to that of
climate change and natural disasters. Each of these functions has direct and indirect
consequences for our health and well-being, and each an important component of the
epidemiological puzzle that confront our efforts to stem the tide of infectious and non
communicable diseases.
The inexorable links between biodiversity, ecosystems, the provision of these benefits
and human health are deeply entrenched in the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity, and
reflected in its 2050 Vision: Biodiversity is valued, conserved, restored and wisely used,
maintaining ecosystem services, sustaining a healthy planet and delivering benefits
essential for all people. They are central to our common agenda for sustainable
development.
As science continues to unravel our understanding of the vital links between biodiversity,
its persistent loss, global health and development, we become better equipped to develop
robust, coherent and coordinated solutions that jointly reduce threats to human life and
to the surrounding environment that sustains it. Increasing our knowledge of these
complex relationships at all scales, and the influences by which they are mediated,
enables us to develop effective solutions capable of strengthening ecosystem resilience
and mitigating the forces that impede their ability to deliver life-supporting services. This
state of knowledge review is a constructive step in this direction.

World Health Organization Ranking; The Worlds Health Systems

1 France 6 Singapore 11 Norway

2 Italy 7 Spain 12 Portugal
3 San Marino 8 Oman 13 Monaco
4 Andorra 9 Austria 14 Greece
5 Malta 10 Japan 15 Iceland
16 Luxembourg 44 Qatar 72 Belarus
17 Netherlands 45 Kuwait 73 Lithuania
18 United Kingdom 46 Barbados 74 Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines
19 Ireland 47 Thailand
75 Argentina
20 Switzerland 48 Czech Republic
76 Sri Lanka
21 Belgium 49 Malaysia
77 Estonia
22 Colombia 50 Poland
78 Guatemala
23 Sweden 51 Dominican Republic
79 Ukraine
24 Cyprus 52 Tunisia
80 Solomon Islands
25 Germany 53 Jamaica
81 Algeria
26 Saudi Arabia 54 Venezuela
82 Palau
27 United Arab Emirates 55 Albania
83 Jordan
28 Israel 56 Seychelles
84 Mauritius
29 Morocco 57 Paraguay
85 Grenada
30 Canada 58 South Korea
86 Antigua and Barbuda
31 Finland 59 Senegal
87 Libya
32 Australia 60 Philippines
88 Bangladesh
33 Chile 61 Mexico
89 Macedonia
34 Denmark 62 Slovakia
90 Bosnia-Herzegovina
35 Dominica 63 Egypt
91 Lebanon
36 Costa Rica 64 Kazakhstan
92 Indonesia
37 USA 65 Uruguay
93 Iran
38 Slovenia 66 Hungary
94 Bahamas
39 Cuba 67 Trinidad and Tobago
95 Panama
40 Brunei 68 Saint Lucia
96 Fiji
41 New Zealand 69 Belize
97 Benin
42 Bahrain 70 Turkey
98 Nauru
43 Croatia 71 Nicaragua
99 Romania
100 Saint Kitts and 127 Vanuatu 128 155 Zimbabwe
Nevis Guyana
156 Tanzania
101 Moldova 129 Peru
157 Djibouti
102 Bulgaria 130 Russia
158 Eritrea
103 Iraq 131 Honduras
159 Madagascar
104 Armenia 132 Burkina Faso
160 Vietnam
105 Latvia 133 Sao Tome and
161 Guinea
Principe
106 Yugoslavia
162 Mauritania
134 Sudan
107 Cook Islands
163 Mali
135 Ghana
108 Syria
164 Cameroon
136 Tuvalu
109 Azerbaijan
165 Laos
137 Ivory Coast
110 Suriname
166 Congo
138 Haiti
111 Ecuador
167 North Korea
139 Gabon
112 India
168 Namibia
140 Kenya
113 Cape Verde
169 Botswana
141 Marshall Islands
114 Georgia
170 Niger
142 Kiribati
115 El Salvador
171 Equatorial Guinea
143 Burundi
116 Tonga
172 Rwanda
144 China
117 Uzbekistan
173 Afghanistan
145 Mongolia
118 Comoros
174 Cambodia
146 Gambia
119 Samoa
175 South Africa
147 Maldives
120 Yemen
176 Guinea-Bissau
148 Papua New Guinea
121 Niue
177 Swaziland
149 Uganda
122 Pakistan
178 Chad
150 Nepal
123 Micronesia
179 Somalia
151 Kyrgystan
124 Bhutan
180 Ethiopia
152 Togo
125 Brazil
181 Angola
153 Turkmenistan
126 Bolivia
182 Zambia
154 Tajikistan
183 Lesotho 187 Nigeria 189 Central African
Republic
184 Mozambique 188 Democratic
Republic of the Congo 190 Myanmar
185 Malawi
186 Liberia
Source: World Health Organization
REFERENCES:
https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdg3
http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/health/
http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/sustainable-development-goals/goal-3-
good-health-and-well-being.html
http://stories.undp.org/community-radio-makes-waves-in-lao-pdr
http://stories.undp.org/the-climate-shifts-bhutan-responds
http://stories.undp.org/keeping-children-worm-free-tanzania
http://stories.undp.org/giving-a-voice-to-women-survivors-in-guatemala
https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdg3?page=view&nr=993&type=230&menu=205
9
https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/?page=view&nr=1833&type=13&menu=1634
https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/?page=view&nr=1785&type=400&menu=35
www.deped.com.ph
http://thepatientfactor.com/canadian-health-care-information/world-health-organizations-
ranking-of-the-worlds-health-systems/