Welcome to the United Nations
Health is a fundamental human right and a core aspiration for every individual. Despite significant scientific and technological advances, none of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3 targets have been achieved, and current trends indicate that none are on track. Alarmingly, over half of the world's population lacks access to essential health services, and since the COVID-19 pandemic, governments have deprioritized health spending between 2021 and 2022.
Health is not solely created within the health sector; it is shaped by how people live, eat, work, and learn. The social, economic, environmental, commercial, and other determinants of health underscore the necessity of integrated, whole-of-society approaches to policymaking to create and sustain health and well-being. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the delicate relationship between people and our planet, yet negotiations for the WHO Pandemic Treaty, aimed at enhancing global cooperation and preparedness for future pandemics, remain unfinished.
Numerous challenges and megatrends, including climate change, biodiversity loss, air pollution, urbanization, demographic shifts, and aging populations, pose new questions and issues that must be addressed to make progress on SDG 3. Rising conflict, displacement, humanitarian emergencies, and natural hazards exacerbate the divide between the well-off and those suffering the most severe health consequences.
This session will explore challenges and opportunities in advancing key solutions to accelerate progress towards SDG 3. It will benefit from the outcomes of the Expert Group Meeting on the review of SDG 3, held in Geneva in February 2025.
Proposed guiding questions:
- What are some of the most transferable lessons from managing trade-offs and generating synergies across the 2030 Agenda when implementing SDG 3? What has been effective in breaking down barriers to propel progress on universal health coverage and financial protection, maternal mortality, sexual and reproductive health and services, strengthening the health and care workforce, and health in fragile, conflict-affected, and vulnerable settings? What emerging trends and key shifts will likely shape health policy and outcomes over the next five years and beyond?
- What targeted policies are needed to ensure universal health coverage for everyone, everywhere, including access to essential medicines? How can we prioritize investments in primary healthcare and preventive services?
- What existing policies and solutions can we learn from to better promote the well-being of humans, animals, and the environment in a holistic manner and increase resilience against future pandemics?
- How can we better harness science, technology, and innovation to advance progress on SDG 3, such as AI-driven diagnostics, telemedicine, and mobile health tools for transformative solutions, especially for underserved populations in remote areas and Fragile, Conflict-Affected, and Vulnerable (FCV) settings?
