Whether or not the new global health targets are achieved will depend largely on progress with the SDGs as a whole – the SDGs are interdependent.

To many observers, perhaps the most distinctive and innovative attribute of the SDGs is its basic principle of interconnectedness. “No goal stands alone”, says Amina Mohammed, special adviser to the UN Secretary-General on post-2015 development planning. “Every goal is inextricably linked to the rest.”

This creates a huge opportunity but also a huge challenge.

Jefferey Sachs (Earth Institute): “Governments are going to have to become multi-dimensional, multi-faceted. And that’s going to be difficult.” As a personal comment, it is not at all clear how governments in low- and middle-income countries will be supported to do this. Do any HIFA members have information on this?

Jefferey Sachs again: “What is deeply missing in the SDG agenda is concern about the financing of countries’ health systems”.

Source: UN set to change the world with new development goals. John Maurice.

The Lancet, Volume 386, No. 9999, p1121–1124, 19 September 2015

http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(15)00251-2/fulltext

Best wishes, Neil

Let’s build a future where people are no longer dying for lack of healthcare knowledge – Join HIFA: www.hifa2015.org