In recent years, significant health improvements have been made, with 146 of 200 countries on track to achieve the SDG target for under-5 mortality and a 52% reduction in AIDS-related deaths globally since 2010. Additionally, 47 countries have eliminated at least one neglected tropical disease.
However, challenges remain. Inequities in healthcare access persist, and the COVID-19 pandemic has hindered progress toward achieving SDG Goal 3. Childhood vaccination rates have seen the steepest decline in 30 years, while tuberculosis and malaria deaths have risen since pre-pandemic times.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aim to end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and other infectious diseases by 2030, striving for universal health coverage and equitable access to affordable medicines and vaccines. Achieving these goals requires substantial investment in health systems to address disparities, strengthen resilience, and ensure essential healthcare for all. Addressing environmental and commercial determinants of health is essential to create a fairer, healthier future and meet the SDG targets.