By Max Lombardo - response to the reflection question about SDG3 targets --- To overcome the related public health gaps and health issues, and to achieve the relevant SDG3 targets (3b, 3c and 3d) by 2030, the UN Member States would need to commit to establishing national and/or international legally-binding agreements, to be enforced at least at the national level, and internationally monitored by the WHO. Furthermore, Member States and Multilateral Donors need to promote and support such commitments with dedicated funding streams/mechanisms. If this will not be done, it will be impossible to achieve not only those targets, but also most of the SDG3 targets. As regards target 3.d in particular, the article already suggests the potential solution: a scaling-up of the application of the International Health Regulations, to be internationally coordinated and monitored by the WHO, with a massive investment in educational programs, institutional capacity-building/development and public awareness campaigns at all geographic scales/levels.

Source author: Massimiliano Lombardo m.lombardo@unesco.org