Last month marked a transition from one era of global health and development to the next.
Seventeen Sustainable Development Goals were agreed by 193 heads of state and government at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. As with the Millennium Development Goals, health is rightly recognized as a fundamental human right and driver of development.
Since 1990 we have seen unprecedented progress in improving global health outcomes, thanks in part to the priority given to health in the MDGs (3 out of 8 MDGs are focused on health). A 47 percent reduction in maternal mortality, and a 49 percent reduction in child mortality are just two of the extraordinary achievements of the past generation.
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About the author
Jim Campbell@JimC_HRH
Jim Campbell is the director of the health workforce department at the World Health Organization. He oversees the development and implementation of global public goods, evidence and tools to inform national and international investments in the education, development and retention of the health and social sector workforce in pursuit of global health security, universal health coverage and the Sustainable Development Goals.
