Sustainable Development Goal 3 in Healthcare

The Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3 proposed by the United Nations in 2015 gave the initiatives to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. There are thirteen targets on specific issues of health and wellness. Targets 3.1, 3.2, and 3.3 are concerning population health and communicable diseases. Targets 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, and 3.A relate to non-communicable diseases, mental well-being and behavioural risks, including injuries. Target 3.7 is about reproductive health while Target 3.8 advocates universal health coverage, which is the core value and principle in the primary health movement of the World Health Organization since the historical 1978 Alma-Ata Declaration of ‘Health for All by the Year 2000’. Target 3.9 describes the impacts of environment on morbidity and mortality. Target 3.B suggests access to essential medicine and vaccines. The remaining two targets, 3.C and 3.D, draw the attention to financing health and capacity building in all countries. SDG 3 addresses all major health priorities for all people in the community during their life course. This chapter will illustrate the impacts of SDG 3 and its targets in healthcare, in both the public and private sectors, with particular focus on the business side of the health, which is blooming in developed societies with the establishment of multinational medical enterprise and health insurance organisations. Issues arising from the COVID-19 pandemic will be addressed with respect to SDG 3, including strengthening capacity in public health practices in outbreaks management, training and competency of professionals, and technology adoption in the community.