Health is a driver, indicator and outcome of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) broadly. Consider, for example, the strong links between health and poverty: in 2019, close to 500 million people were pushed or further pushed into extreme poverty due to out-of-pocket payments for health.¹ In line with the vision of Agenda 2030, UNDP’s approach to health is integrated, multi-disciplinary and multi-sectoral with a strong focus on reducing the widening inequalities within and between countries. This approach is encapsulated in UNDP’s HIV and Health Strategy 2022-2025 and UNDP’s Strategic Plan 2022-2025.

Investing in universal health coverage. Achieving universal health coverage (UHC) is a key target in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and a core measure for reducing poverty and inequalities. The WHO and World Bank’s 2023 Global Monitoring Report finds that, globally, around 4.5 billion people still lack full access to essential health services – and progress is stagnated. The number of people facing catastrophic out-of-pocket health spending (more than 10% of their household budget) increased to more than 1 billion people in 2019.¹ Increasing annual investments in primary health care by $200 billion per year in low-and middle-income countries would save an estimated 60 million lives by 2030 while delivering a 4-fold return in economic benefits.^2,3 Member States have affirmed their commitment to UHC in several high-level political declarations, including the 2019 and 2023 declarations on UHC.  

NCDs and infectious disease challenges are interlinked. Those with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are at higher risk of worse COVID-19 outcomes, including severe disease, hospitalization and death. Additionally, there is growing evidence that SARS-COV-2 infection is increasing NCDs and mental health challenges.⁴ This adds to the evidence base on how NCDs and their risk factors interact negatively with infectious diseases such as HIV, TB and influenza.^5,6 Stronger investments in NCD prevention and care are crucial for integrated health responses and addressing pandemics. One recent forecast predicts a 27% chance of another pandemic as deadly as COVID-19 occurring by 2033.⁷

Prevention is key, reducing both health and economic burdens. Preventative approaches extend not just life spans but also health spans, or years free of disease and disability. It has been found that between 30% to 50% of all cancer cases are preventable⁸ and 80% of premature heart attacks and strokes can be prevented.⁹ Evidence demonstrates that investing in prevention is cost-effective in both the short and long-term. Promoting mental health, road traffic injury prevention and physical activity, for instance, can deliver positive returns on investments in just 1-2 years.  

Health is not just the business of Ministries of Health. As the COVID-19 pandemic has made clear, poor health can send devastating shockwaves across every aspect of sustainable development. At the same time, health is shaped by a complex array of factors beyond the traditional health sector, such as education, nutrition, environmental conditions and fiscal policy. Investing in health, then, must be everyone’s concern. A whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to health is crucial for equity, resilience and sustainability.