Noncommunicable diseases: fact sheet on Sustainable Development Goals (‎SDGs)‎: health targets

Overview

The Sustainable Development Goals (‎SDGs)‎ aim to transform our world. They are a call to action to end poverty and inequality, protect the planet, and ensure that all people enjoy health, justice and prosperity. It is critical that no one is left behind. In 2015, all the countries in the United Nations adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It sets out 17 Goals, which include 169 targets. These wide-ranging and ambitious Goals interconnect. SDG 3 is to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. It has 13 targets measured through 26 indicators. However, a person’s health and well-being are affected not only by disease and treatment, but also by social and economic factors such as housing, poverty and education. Health targets can therefore also be found across the other SDGs. Noncommunicable diseases (‎NCDs)‎ are the leading cause of death globally, and one of the major challenges for sustainable development in the 21st century. Although there has been a clear decline in premature deaths due to NCDs since the mid 2000s in the WHO European Region, the situation is still alarming: the Region still has the highest burden of NCDs. Action is necessary across all sectors and settings to prevent and control NCDs. This fact sheet includes facts and figures, outlines the challenges, charts indicators of progress and shares commitments made by Member States to tackle this issue.