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Achieving SDG for Health and Well-Being: Public Health Leadership Challenges

jsatia

Prof. Jay Satia 


Globally, 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) were set to be achieved by 2030. Of these, SDG3 directly relates to good health and well-being – Ensure healthy life and promote well-being for all at all ages. Specific targets are as follows:


3.1. By 2030, reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births


3.2. By 2030, end preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age, with all countries aiming to reduce neonatal mortality to at least as low as 12 per 1,000 live births and under-5 mortality to at least as low as 25 per 1,000 live births


3.3. By 2030, end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical diseases and combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases and other communicable diseases


3.4. By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being


3.5. Strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse and harmful use of alcohol


3.6. By 2030 halve the number of global deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents


3.7. By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programmes


3.8. Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all


3.9. By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination


3.a. Strengthen the implementation of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in all countries, as appropriate


3.b. Support the research and development of vaccines and medicines for the communicable and noncommunicable diseases that primarily affect developing countries, provide access to affordable essential medicines and vaccines, in accordance with the Doha Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health, which affirms the right of developing countries to use to the full the provisions in the Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights regarding flexibilities to protect public health, and, in particular, provide access to medicines for all


3.c. Substantially increase health financing and the recruitment, development, training and retention of the health workforce in developing countries, especially in least developed countries and small island developing States


3.d. Strengthen the capacity of all countries, in particular developing countries, for early warning, risk reduction and management of national and global health risks


India needs to accelerate its progress towards achieving SDGs. It was ranked 120th position in 2021out of 165 countries on sustainable development index with an overall index of 60.07 out of 100 with the highest score of Finland at 85.90.


Reddy et.al. (2018) have argued that achieving SDGs requires reframing public health leadership, through a construct that reflects interdependence of leadership at multiple levels across the health system and its partners in other sectors.


To achieve SDG3, public health leaders need to work together at all levels of health system to provide necessary health care services to people. Various other SDGs including those on education, poverty, gender and environment are determinants of health. Public health leaders at all levels need to influence leaders of these sectors at government, civil society and business to generate intersectoral action based upon scientific evidence. Finally appropriate community behaviours play an important role in achieving health goals.


Thus, public health leaders ned to have special abilities for collaborative leadership. Rather then telling others what to do, they need to facilitate opportunities for people to come together, generate actions to achieve SDGs and then implement them.


Collaboration is mutually beneficial relationship between one or more parties to achieve common purpose or goals by sharing responsibility, authority and accountability for achieving them. It goes beyond communication, cooperation or coordination.


Such leaders require to be emotionally intelligent. They need to be grounded in an understanding of self and confidence to address tension, conflict and uncertainty. They need to have skills for inclusive and democratic leadership. They need to be able to listen to everybody and be creative to bring about consensus necessary for needed changes.


Their style of leadership should be participative. They themselves should be inspired by the need to achieve SDGs and be able to inspire others for the same. They need to be able to create a sherd vision, and commitment to achieve these goals. This is only possible when there is an atmosphere of high trust. So leaders would have to be ethical. As there is considerable uncertainty and complexity in the process of achieving some of these goals, they need to be learners themselves and generate learning spirit as well as necessary actions for collective reflection and learning.


In sum, leaders would need to have the ability to build powerful relationships; create a systemic change; develop comfort with risk while building trust; and value diversity and source of contribution. This is a tall order and special attention is needed to build such public health leadership if SDGs are to be achieved.

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