UNIT 2: HEALTH TRENDS, ISSUES, AND

CONCERNS (GLOBAL LEVEL)

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in
2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and
into the future. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an
urgent call for action by all countries - developed and developing - in a global partnership.
They recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies
that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while
tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests.

17 SUSTAINABLE GOALS
1. NO POVERTY
Eradicating poverty in all its forms remains one of the greatest
challenges facing humanity. While the number of people living in
extreme poverty dropped by more than half between 1990 and
2015, too many are still struggling for the most basic human
needs.

2. ZERO HUNGER
The number of undernourished people has dropped by almost half in the
past two decades because of rapid economic growth and increased
agricultural productivity. Many developing countries that used to suffer
from famine and hunger can now meet their nutritional needs. Central and
East Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean have all made huge progress in ZERO HUNGER
eradicating extreme hunger.
3. GOOD HEALTH AND WELL-BEING
We have made great progress against several leading causes of death and
disease. Life expectancy has increased dramatically; infant and maternal
mortality rates have declined; we’ve turned the tide on HIV and malaria
deaths have halved.
GOOD HEALTH
Good health is essential to sustainable development and the 2030 Agenda
reflects the complexity and interconnectedness of the two. It takes into
account widening economic and social inequalities, rapid urbanization, threats to the climate and
the environment, the continuing burden of HIV and other infectious diseases, and emerging
challenges such as noncommunicable diseases.
4. QUALITY EDUCATION
Achieving inclusive and quality education for all reaffirms the belief that
education is one of the most powerful and proven vehicles for
sustainable development. This goal ensures that all girls and boys
complete free primary and secondary schooling by 2030. It also aims to
provide equal access to affordable vocational training, to eliminate
QUALITY EDUCATION
gender and wealth disparities, and achieve universal access to a quality
higher education

5. GENDER EQUALITY
Ending all discrimination against women and girls is not only a basic human
right, it’s crucial for sustainable future; it’s proven that empowering women
and girls helps economic growth and development.

UNDP has made gender equality central to its work and we’ve seen
remarkable progress in the past 20 years. There are more girls in school
now compared to 15 years ago, and most regions have reached gender
parity in primary education.

6. CLEAN WATER AND SANITATION

Water scarcity affects more than 40 percent of people, an alarming
figure that is projected to rise as temperatures do. Although 2.1
billion people have improved water sanitation since 1990, dwindling
drinking water supplies are affecting every continent.

Safe and affordable drinking water for all by 2030 requires we

invest in adequate infrastructure, provide sanitation facilities, and
encourage hygiene. Protecting and restoring water-related ecosystems is essential.

7. AFFORDABLE AND CLEAN ENERGY

Investing in solar, wind and thermal power, improving energy productivity,
and ensuring energy for all is vital if we are to achieve SDG 7 by 2030.

Expanding infrastructure and upgrading technology to provide clean and

more efficient energy in all countries will encourage growth and help the
environment.

8. DECENT WORK AND ECONOMIC GROWTH

Over the past 25 years the number of workers living in extreme poverty
has declined dramatically, despite the lasting impact of the 2008
economic crisis and global recession. In developing countries, the middle
class now makes up more than 34 percent of total employment – a
number that has almost tripled between 1991 and 2015.
The SDGs promote sustained economic growth, higher levels of productivity and technological
innovation. Encouraging entrepreneurship and job creation are key to this, as are effective
measures to eradicate forced labour, slavery and human trafficking. With these targets in mind,
the goal is to achieve full and productive employment, and decent work, for all women and men
by 2030.

9. INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE

Investment in infrastructure and innovation are crucial drivers of
economic growth and development. With over half the world population
now living in cities, mass transport and renewable energy are becoming
ever more important, as are the growth of new industries and information
and communication technologies.

10. REDUCED INEQUALITIES

These widening disparities require sound policies to empower lower
income earners, and promote economic inclusion of all regardless of
sex, race or ethnicity.

Income inequality requires global solutions. This involves improving the

regulation and monitoring of financial markets and institutions,
encouraging development assistance and foreign direct investment to regions where the need is
greatest. Facilitating the safe migration and mobility of people is also key to bridging the
widening divide.

11. SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND COMMUNITIES

Making cities sustainable means creating career and business opportunities,
safe and affordable housing, and building resilient societies and economies.
It involves investment in public transport, creating green public spaces,
and improving urban planning and management in participatory and inclusive
ways.

12. RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION

Achieving economic growth and sustainable development requires that we
urgently reduce our ecological footprint by changing the way we produce
and consume goods and resources. Agriculture is the biggest user of
water worldwide, and irrigation now claims close to 70 percent of all
freshwater for human use.

The efficient management of our shared natural resources, and the way we dispose of toxic
waste and pollutants, are important targets to achieve this goal. Encouraging industries,
businesses and consumers to recycle and reduce waste is equally important, as is supporting
developing countries to move towards more sustainable patterns of consumption by 2030.

13. CLIMATE ACTION

There is no country that is not experiencing the drastic effects of climate
change. Greenhouse gas emissions are more than 50 percent higher than in
1990. Global warming is causing long-lasting changes to our climate system,
which threatens irreversible consequences if we do not act.

14. LIFE BELOW WATER

The world’s oceans – their temperature, chemistry, currents and life –
drive global systems that make the Earth habitable for humankind.
How we manage this vital resource is essential for humanity as a
whole, and to counterbalance the effects of climate change.
The SDGs aim to sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal
ecosystems from pollution, as well as address the impacts of ocean
acidification. Enhancing conservation and the sustainable use of
ocean-based resources through international law will also help mitigate some of the challenges
facing our oceans.

15. LIFE ON LAND

Human life depends on the earth as much as the ocean for our sustenance and livelihoods.
Plant life provides 80 percent of the human diet, and we rely on agriculture as an important
economic resource. Forests cover 30 percent of the Earth’s surface,
provide vital habitats for millions of species, and important sources for
clean air and water, as well as being crucial for combating climate change.
Urgent action must be taken to reduce the loss of natural habitats and
biodiversity which are part of our common heritage and support global food
and water security, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and peace and
security.

16. PEACE, JUSTICE AND STRONG INSTITUTIONS

We cannot hope for sustainable development without peace,
stability, human rights and effective governance, based on the rule of
law. Yet our world is increasingly divided. Some regions enjoy peace,
security and prosperity, while others fall into seemingly endless
cycles of conflict and violence. This is not inevitable and must be
addressed.
 17. PARTNERSHIPS FOR THE GOALS
The world is more interconnected than ever. Improving access to
technology and knowledge is an important way to share ideas and foster
innovation. Coordinating policies to help developing countries manage their
debt, as well as promoting investment for the least developed, is vital for
sustainable growth and development.

Global Health Issues and Concerns

I. THE GLOBAL FIGHT AGAINST COMMUNICABLE DISEASES
A. ROLL BACK MALARIA
Roll Back Malaria is a global effort to reduce the number of deaths from malaria
infection through heightened prevention tools, rapid response to outbreaks, development of
new anti-malarial products, and effective treatment of the
infection.

Specific objective:
1. To enable and to increase the capacity of caregivers to
recognize malaria
promptly and take early appropriate action;
2. To empower service providers by imparting adequate
knowledge, skill and capacity which enable them to respond
to malaria illness appropriately;
3. To create an enabling environment for implementation.

B. STOP TB.
Stop TB is a global effort to prevent further transmission of tuberculosis or TB around the
world.
One of the programs for Stop TB is the implementation of the TB-DOTS short-course strategy.

Objectives
1. To achieve universal access to high-quality diagnosis and patient-
centered treatment
2. To reduce the suffering and socio-economic burden associated with TB
3. To protect poor and vulnerable populations from TB, TB/HIV and multi
drug-resistant – TB (MDR-TB)
4. To support development of new tools and enable their timely and
effective use.
C. GLOBAL ALLIANCE FOR VACCINES AND IMMUNIZATION
The Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization is a
global strategy which aims to strengthen children’s
immunization programs and introduce new generation of
licensed vaccines into use in developing countries across
the globe. These new vaccines which could help reduce the
number of deaths in children aged 5 years old and below
includes:
• Hepatitis B vaccine
• Childhood meningitis vaccine
• Yellow fever vaccine
• Influenza vaccine
• Vaccine for pneumonia

D. THE GLOBAL FUND TO FIGHT AIDS, TB, AND MALARIA

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria is a funding
project rather than an initiative. Nevertheless, it helps in the
prevention, reduction, and mitigation of the negative impacts of
the three diseases to humanity which contributes to the
fulfillment of the Sustainable Goals.

II. GLOBAL PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF TOBACCO AND ALCOHOL USE

WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. The
WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO
FCTC) is the prime international treaty negotiated under
WHO. The
WHO FCTC came into existence in reaction to the global
epidemic of tobacco use and abuse. It reaffirms the right
of every individual across the world to the highest
standard of health promoting public health and providing
new legal means for global health cooperation.
III. Global Initiative for Mental Health
The “Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan 2013-
2020” is the result of extensive research and
consultations by stakeholders, member nations,
academic and non-government centers across the
globe. The mental health action plan should be
impartial, life-based, and preventive in nature. It
basically addresses the following:

• To fight and alleviate negative trends in mental

health,
• To improve and make mental health services and care
accessible, and
• To prevent abuse of rights and unjust treatment against people with mental problems,
disorders, and disabilities which are still prevalent around the world.