Objetive 3: Health and weelbeing

As with the other SDO, totally inter-connected, Objective 3 (Guaranteeing a healthy life and promoting wellbeing for everyone of all ages) is both an Objective in itself and a means towards the rest.

Thus, in the top photo we can see a young child in an African village who is not only in an unhealthy environment (half-naked, surrounded by wire, livestock and rubbish) but also lives in a community with no access to education, clean water, or non-polluting energy. On the other hand, the photo below shows a patient in a public hospital in a European country which, despite cuts due to the recent recession, offers universal healthcare of a high quality, which constitutes an essential part of the welfare state.

Although there has been much progress in the fight against infectious diseases and improvements in reproductive, maternal, neonatal and child health, there are still vast differences, the worse lot falling to countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Furthermore, there has been an increase in deaths in road accidents and from atmospheric contamination.

Together with a reduction in maternal, neonatal and child deaths, or putting an end to AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and unattended tropical illnesses and fighting hepatitis or diseases transmitted by water, an important aspect of this Objective is to achieve universal health cover, access to quality essential health services and to efficient, safe, affordable and effective medicines and vaccines for everyone.