The problems related to the process of industrialisation such as biodiversity depletion
climate change and a worsening of health and living conditions especially but not only in
developing countries intensify. Therefore there is an increasing need to search for
integrated solutions to make development more sustainable. The United Nations has acknowledged
the problem and approved the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. On 1st January 2016 the
17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the Agenda officially came into force. These goals
cover the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic growth social inclusion and
environmental protection. The Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals
comprehensively addresses the SDGs in an integrated way. The Encyclopedia encompasses 17
volumes each one devoted to one of the 17 SDGs. This volume addresses SDG 3 namely Ensure
healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages and contains the description of a
range of terms to grow a better understanding and foster knowledge. Ensuring healthy lives and
promoting the well-being for all at all ages is essential to sustainable development.
Significant strides have been made in increasing life expectancy and reducing some of the
common killers associated with child and maternal mortality. Major progress has been made on
increasing access to clean water and sanitation reducing malaria tuberculosis polio and the
spread of HIV AIDS. However many more efforts are needed to fully eradicate a wide range of
diseases and address many different persistent and emerging health issues. Concretely the
defined targets are: Reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100 000
live births 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 End the epidemics of AIDS
tuberculosis malaria and neglected tropical diseases and combat hepatitis water-borne
diseases and other communicable diseases Reduce by one third premature mortality from
non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and
wellbeing Strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse including narcotic drug
abuse and harmful use of alcohol Halve the number of global deaths and injuries from road
traffic accidents 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 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 Substantially reduce
the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air water and soil pollution
and contamination Strengthen the implementation of the World Health Organization Framework
Convention on Tobacco Control in all countries as appropriate Support the research and
development of vaccines and medicines for the communicable and non-communicable 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 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 Strengthen the capacity of all countries in particular developing
countries for early warning risk reduction and management of national and global health risks
Editorial Board Mohamed Walid Abdullah Meherun Ahmed Monica de Andrade Masoud Mozafari Giorgi
Pkhakadze Tony Wall Catherine Zeman
