In 2015, world leaders agreed to 17 global goals for a better world by 2030. These goals have the power to end poverty, fight inequality, and change the world for the better. Guided by these goals, it is now up to all of us –governments, businesses, civil society, and the general public – to work together to build a better future for everyone.
Global Goal #3 is good health and well-being. Our health is the one thing we all take for granted, until we feel unwell. The world has made incredible advances in medicine, such as cutting child deaths in half, dropping HIV infections by more than 40%, and preventing more than 6 million malaria deaths. Despite this progress, far too many people don’t have access to basic healthcare.
Investing in health makes a huge difference, and life-changing progress is already happening. The world has cut child deaths in half, HIV infections are down by more than 40%, and more than 6 million malaria deaths have been prevented.
Global Goal 3 targets include reducing maternal mortality to less than 70 deaths per 100,000 births by 2030. There’s also a goal a specific aim for all countries to reduce neonatal mortality to a maximum of at least as low as 12 deaths per 1,000 live births. and under‑5 mortality to at least as low as 25 per 1,000 live births. Ending all preventable deaths under 5 years of age is also a target with a hope to ensure that under‑5 mortality is at or lower than 25 per 1,000 live births.
While preventing diseases is definitely important, Goal #3 also focuses on tackling systemic issues in providing healthcare. To achieve this, world leaders will need to increase health finance and support the health workforce in developing countries. We need to speed up this progress by training more health workers and making sure they have the medicines and supplies they need.If we do this, healthcare will become more accessible and reliable, allowing us to stop diseases in their tracks and ensure everyone can get treatment when they need it.
Learn more about Global Goal #3 here.
