Health is a basic human right and a cornerstone of sustainable development. Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3)—“Good Health and Well-Being”—aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for people of all ages. This goal includes ambitious targets: reducing maternal and child mortality, ending epidemics of communicable diseases, ensuring access to essential health services, improving mental health, and achieving universal health coverage (UHC). As the world continues to grapple with health disparities and emerging global threats, achieving SDG 3 has never been more urgent.
Despite substantial progress over the past decades—such as the dramatic decline in deaths from HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis—millions still die every year from preventable causes. Maternal and infant mortality rates remain unacceptably high in many low-income countries due to lack of access to prenatal care, skilled birth attendants, and emergency services. Vaccine-preventable diseases like measles and polio continue to cause unnecessary suffering in regions where health infrastructure is weak or access is hindered by conflict or misinformation.
One of the major lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic was the importance of resilient health systems. The pandemic exposed deep flaws in global healthcare, especially the inequality in vaccine distribution, insufficient funding, and overstretched healthcare workers. It also brought attention to mental health, an area long neglected in global health discourse. Depression, anxiety, and suicide affect hundreds of millions globally, yet mental health services remain underfunded and stigmatized in many cultures.
Universal Health Coverage (UHC) is a core target of SDG 3. This means that all people should have access to quality health services without financial hardship. Yet over half of the world’s population lacks this access. Financial barriers force many to delay or avoid seeking care, and in some cases, catastrophic health costs push families into poverty. UHC involves not only expanding services, but also improving health financing, increasing the healthcare workforce, and strengthening primary care systems.
Health is interconnected with other development goals. Malnutrition (SDG 2), lack of clean water and sanitation (SDG 6), environmental degradation (SDG 13), and poverty (SDG 1) all undermine health outcomes. To achieve SDG 3, countries must address these broader determinants. Policies must also be inclusive, ensuring that marginalized groups—such as refugees, ethnic minorities, and persons with disabilities—are not left behind.
Investing in health is not just a moral imperative—it’s a smart investment in human capital. Healthy populations are more productive, more resilient, and better able to contribute to their communities and economies. Governments, international organizations, and civil society must work together to strengthen health systems, promote prevention, and empower individuals to make informed decisions about their well-being.
The path to SDG 3 is not easy, but it is achievable. With bold policy choices, increased funding, community-based care models, and global solidarity, we can build a future where health and well-being are truly universal.