Strengthen health systems to achieve the SDG targets for healthy children: Evidence on access to medicines situation in Nepal
Year: 2022
Type: article
Abstract: Child and adolescent (C&A) health is a crucial indicator of future human capital, societal gains, and individual prosperity.The 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) focus on several targets for improving C&A health, including food security, education, reducing child mortality, and ensuring universal access to immunizations and healthcare. 1 Towards health-related SDGs (SDG-3), countriesthrough disease control and improved immunizationhave made remarkable progress by reducing child mortality by >50% from 13.8M (1990) to 6.6M (2017). 2 Nonetheless, in 2019, estimated 5.2M under-five and 50,000 older children (aged 5À9 years) succumbed to preventable and treatable diseases.3 Disability-adjusted life years also remain substantial (»145M), with disproportionately high burden in low socioeconomic regions. 2 COVID-19 further decelerated the efforts and progress-tracking towards SDG-3, particularly by disrupting essential healthcare (Target 3.8).A World Health Organization (WHO) survey inquiring continuity of essential healthcare reported that the pandemic affected health systems in nearly all the 135 surveyed countries at varying levels.4 Access to essential healthcare is particularly affected for vulnerable populations, and South Asia is among the most affected regions.To achieve SDG-3, policymakers must explore health system capacity and access situation before the pandemic (pre-COVID-19 baseline data).
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,500
Funder: Tribhuvan University
OpenAlex ID: W4289767401