MDG 3: Healthy lives and well-being for all

Goal 3 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals focuses on promoting global health and well-being. It aims to reduce child and maternal mortality, combat communicable and non-communicable diseases, ensure access to good quality health services and medicines, strengthen drug prevention and treatment, and achieve universal health coverage. Experience with the Millennium Development Goals has shown that health issues must be addressed in context, not in isolation. These goals represent a challenge for many countries, particularly those with weak and insufficient health systems. However, they are key goals for improving the health and well-being of communities worldwide.

The UN's third Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) focuses on promoting health and well-being for all, with a particular emphasis on reducing child and maternal mortality and combating communicable and non-communicable diseases. The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) have already led to significant progress in the fight against certain diseases such as AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, but have not met all expectations, particularly in terms of reducing child and maternal mortality. However, awareness of the need to tackle these problems in a comprehensive and integrated way has grown in order to ensure that healthcare programmes are effective and that everyone has access to good quality health services and medicines.

Health must be seen in a broader context, which goes beyond the simple treatment of disease. This is why training and food safety are crucial to the effectiveness of healthcare programmes. Adequate training of medical staff and health workers is essential to guarantee the quality of health services offered and improve disease prevention. In addition, food security is an important factor for the health and well-being of the population. The availability of healthy and nutritious food is essential for preventing diseases linked to malnutrition and ensuring a good general state of health. Therefore, the promotion of education and food security should be considered an essential aspect of the planning and implementation of health programmes.

In France, Objective 3 shows an overall positive trend, with improvements in most of the basic indicators analysed. However, the public health situation has been called into question by the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has, in fact, had a significant impact on healthcare in France. According to a survey conducted by Santé publique France and its partners since March 2020, the COVID-19 epidemic and the consequences of containment have had an impact on French people's health in terms of alcohol and tobacco consumption, diet and physical activity, mental health, and use of healthcare. However, France has also seen some positive signs in the area of health. For example, according to a study conducted by the French National Institute for Health and Medical Research (INSERM), the mortality rate linked to COVID-19 in France is lower than in other European countries.

Strong and inclusive global governance is a key factor in achieving Goal 3 of the 2030 Agenda. It is necessary for governments, international organisations and the private sector to work together to ensure equitable access to health services, medical technologies and medicines, while encouraging research and development of new therapies. In addition, intersectoral governance is essential to tackle the root causes of health inequalities, such as poverty, limited access to clean water and sanitation, lack of health education and gender discrimination. Only global and intersectoral governance can ensure a healthy and sustainable future for all.

Businesses can make a significant contribution to achieving SDG 3 through targeted actions, such as adopting sustainable practices in the production and distribution of health products and services, promoting food safety and hygiene training and education for workers, and supporting research and development of innovative solutions to tackle communicable and non-communicable diseases. In addition, companies can collaborate with governments, international organisations and civil society organisations to promote effective local and global health policies. A concrete example of companies' commitment to Goal 3 is the pharmaceutical company Pfizer, which has pledged to invest USD 5 billion in research and development projects to combat infectious diseases in low-income countries.

3Bee's mission is to support businesses in their transition to more sustainable business practices and in adopting a data-driven approach to managing their operations. That's why we're also committed to raising awareness and sharing our knowledge with businesses and organisations that share our values. At 3Bee, we don't work on all of the SDG targets, but we do support businesses that need a data-driven approach and engage in awareness raising. We are also committed to raising awareness of the importance of sustainable development and global health. Contact us to find out how we can help your business design for sustainability and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.