Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
The SDGs were adopted at the United Nations Summit in September 2015 as part of a global
agenda for a better future. Guided by the principle of “leaving no one behind,” the
SDGs consist of 17
goals and 169 targets to be achieved by 2030. Among these, Goal 3 (Ensure healthy lives and promote
well-being for all at all ages) aims to create a
world where everyone can live a healthy and secure life. One of its key targets is to end the
epidemics of major communicable diseases such as AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and neglected tropical
diseases
(NTDs), and combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases, and other communicable diseases.
To achieve global health equity, it is essential to understand and address NTDs, which continue to
affect millions of people worldwide.
What are neglected tropical diseases (NTDs)?
NTDs are a group of 21 infectious diseases, including lymphatic filariasis, schistosomiasis, and dengue, that collectively affect approximately 1.5 billion people worldwide. These diseases are concentrated in poor regions of low- and middle-income countries and have a profound impact on people’s health and livelihoods. Despite the urgent need for medicines, vaccines, and diagnostic tools, research and development in this field are lagging due to limited funding and resources.
Vicious cycle of infectious diseases
Infectious diseases often trap people in a vicious cycle in which poverty drives illness,
and illness deepens poverty.
In poor regions, lack of access to safe water and sanitation makes infections more likely. Limited
healthcare access due to distance, cost, or infrastructure means that diseases often go untreated until
they become severe.
As a result, people miss school or work, reducing income opportunities. This in turn limits access to
nutritious food and clean living conditions, which again increases vulnerability to disease. Moreover,
those left with long-term disabilities from infection often face stigma and discrimination, further
excluding them from education and employment.
Breaking this cycle requires improving access to clean water and sanitation, strengthening healthcare systems, promoting early diagnosis and treatment, fostering education and understanding, reducing stigma, and improving living conditions to support social and economic development.
