The difference between a menu vs. a road map is that a menu consists of various items
from which any can be selected, in comparison to a roadmap where each item is connected
and must be followed to move on to the next issue. This understanding of the difference
applied to the statement quoted in the discussion question implies that the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDG) are connected and build upon each other and cannot be
separated in its implementation.
There are seventeen SDG’s and one that affects health is number six, clean water, and
sanitation. According to the UNSDG (n.d.), there are millions of people worldwide that still
do not have access to clean water and sanitation, which has been proven time and time
again to be essential to health. As seen with this COVID 19 pandemic, the emphasis is
placed on handwashing to minimize transmission, and this is true for most infectious
diseases. It is expected that areas that lack access to safe water in some areas may be hit
hard by COVID 19 simply due to the lack of safe water for handwashing. A surprising
statistic is that one of forty percent of the world population experience water scarcity.
The other SDG that affects health is number ten, reduce inequalities. Inequalities can exist
within a country as it can between nations. According to the UNSDG (n.d.), in developing
countries, women in the rural areas are three more times as likely to die in childbirth
despite declining maternal mortality dates. Also, children in the poorest 20 percent of the
population are more likely to die before their fifth birthday compared to the upper
echelons. Reducing inequality means improving the quality and access to health care,
vaccines, lowering rates of Malaria, and Tuberculosis in developing countries. This goal
builds upon the goal of clean water and sanitation, as clean water is essential to health and
well-being.
Sustainable Development Goal three that good health and well-being are connected to all
the other SDG. To have good health, there must be access to clean water and sanitation,
access to food for all, poverty must be alleviated, just to name a few. The two key targets
that I think is essential to goal three of the SDG (n.d) are points “3.8 Achieve universal
health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential healthcare
services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and
vaccines for all.” The second essential target is the point listed as “3.C Substantially
increase health financing and the recruitment, development, training, and retention of the
health workforce in developing countries, especially in the least developed countries and
small island developing States.”
Universal health coverage will ensure that all people will have access to healthcare and
subsequently have healthier and longer lives. Although access to care is essential, there
must be healthcare providers to take care of the population; therefore, it is essential to
build the healthcare systems in the developing countries.
The Lazy Person’s Guide to Saving the World (n.d.) has a list of actions that can be
implemented in our everyday lives that can help in the progress to SDG. Some of these
actions have been implemented by many states that require the use of reusable grocery
bags to cut down on the use of the plastic bags, incentivized by having to pay for the plastic
bags. Another observation from manufacturing end is that most appliances are not touted
to be energy efficient so that they utilize less resources. Two actions that I can take to help
make progress toward the SDG include walking to work. My office is a five-minute drive
RESPONSE TO POST ON SDGs 2
from my house so walking will save fuel and carbon emissions, not to mention help me
burn off some calories. I also try to turn off all lights when not in use and freeze veggies if I
am not going to use them right away so that they do not go to waste.
References
Goal 3: Good health and well-being. (n.d.).
Response to Post on SDGs
Hello Lima,
I read your post on sustainable development goals (SDGs) and health and found it informative. It
is recommendable how you open your post since it gains a person’s attention and obliges one to
read the entire post. After the opening, the post clearly explains the relationship between the
SGD’s and health. In particular, you state that the most relevant goal for health is number six,
which focuses on clean water and sanitation. I agree with you that the current coronavirus
pandemic has demonstrated the importance of having a steady flow of water and proper
sanitation. These aspects are vital to fighting off infectious diseases and are typically the first line
of defense (Kruk et al., 2018). Therefore, it is essential not to take for granted such basic things
as millions of people in the world who lack such amenities. Great post, Lima.
RESPONSE TO POST ON SDGs 3
References
Kruk, M. E., Gage, A. D., Arsenault, C., Jordan, K., Leslie, H. H., Roder-DeWan, S., … &
English, M. (2018). High-quality health systems in the Sustainable Development Goals
era: time for a revolution. The Lancet Global Health, 6(11), e1196-e1252.