Global Health and Wellbeing
The deadline for meeting the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) is reckoning as we approach the 2015 timeline. The progress that has been made or not, since 2000, is now apparent, and lessons learnt and challenges encountered are also very clear. The MGDs, together with respective National Development Indices have helped to continually assess the developmental progress made in the target areas. All eight of the MDGs have consequences for health. The core MDGs dealing with health include MDG 4 – child health ,MDG 5 – maternal health , and MDG 6 – control of HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis and other major communicable diseases . There has been acceptable Global progress on MDG 6, while MDG 4 and MDG 5 are likely to be off track. Included also in the off track basket are the MDG 1 – Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, MDG 7 – Ensure environmental sustainability. These off track MDGs are interrelated, with low health and Wellbeing as a common denominator. It is therefore apparent that much work and indeed significant resources are vital to offset these off truck targets. As the world moves to post MDGs and beyond 2015, global development agenda is shaping with sustainable development being at the core, and hence the current process geared at preparing a set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These SDGs together with the respective National Development Indices will hence aid in performance assessment of the sustainable global development facets, including health and wellbeing.
Australia
The advancement of an Australia National Development Index (ANDI),in collaboration with other National Development Indices from the International communities, which is currently in progress, seeks to look beyond GDP and to develop new ways of assessing progress and wellbeing of societies which provide a more comprehensive view of progress that takes into account social , environmental , as well as economic facets. These new national and local progress measures have emerged as a valuable tool for integrated planning, a firmer evidence base for policy, and a stronger, more citizen‐engaged democracy National Indices aims at changing the global paradigm of progress from economic production to equitable and sustainable wellbeing; and in the process, to promote debate in nations and communities around the world about what true progress means for them. At the community and local government level, dozens of projects have developed around local community well‐being indicators, as part of a community planning process, and with strong citizen engagement. Wellbeing indicators have become an increasingly important issue for health organisations.Public health bodies around the world from the WHO down have played a vital leadership role in the global movement to develop better measures of progress, and with important impacts:widening the definition of wellbeing; monitoring trends in the social, economic and environmental determinants of health and health inequalities; and providing better mechanisms to engage communities and citizens in identifying key health and social issues and include them in planning,from international programs like Healthy Cities to community level projects. The recent national report of the Australia National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission is a good example of this trend. It underlines in many places the importance of indicators, public reporting, community wellbeing measures and public reporting of progress against clear national goals and values: all of which are more achievable within an agreed national wellbeing measurement framework. Key recommendations of the NHHRS report included:
- regular monitoring and public reporting of community confidence in the health system
- public reporting on health inequalities of disadvantaged groups
- Regular reporting tracking our progress as a nation in health inequities
- The development of accessible information on the overall health and well‐being of local communities including a “wellness, footprint”
- Establishing a rolling series of 10 year national health goals with broad community ownership
- A strong focus on quality and health outcomes in primary care service
- A system of hospital reporting against national indicators
Africa
The assessment of progress in Africa toward the Millennium Development Goals concludes that while Africa is the world’s second fastest growing region, its rate of poverty reduction is insufficient to reach the target of halving extreme poverty by 2015. In particular, analysis of food insecurity provides insights into how this phenomenon impacts other MDGs, especially health-related goals, and how concerted efforts to improve agriculture, food distribution and nutrition would fast-track progress towards other MDGs. Further, assessments indicates that climate-related shocks manifested by extreme weather conditions have destroyed livelihoods and exacerbated Africa’s food insecurity, resulting in a high incidence of underweight children, widespread hunger and poor dietary consumption patterns. Globally in 2012, 15 of the 20 countries which made the greatest progress on the MDGs were from Africa, with countries that have sustained, equitable growth political stability and higher human development programs leading the way. Within Africa, progress on MDGs that are on track include : MDG 2 – Achieve universal primary education; MDG 3 – Promote gender equality and empower women; MDG 6 – Combat HIV/AIDS, TB, malaria and other diseases; and MDG 8 – Global partnership for development. While MDGs that are off track include: MDG 1 – Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger; MDG 4 – Reduce child mortality; MDG 5 – Improve maternal health; and MDG 7 – Ensure environmental sustainability. In Kenya, recent government programs including free maternal health care, issuance of land title deeds to the citizens and commissioning of the 1 million acre irrigation project, rendering support and capacitate the County Governments in the devolved functions, will go a long way at addressing these off track MDGs and the National Development Plans, which intern will lead to improved Health and Wellbeing of the local Kenyan community.
Austica’s role
Austica seeks to be a proactive member of the International, National, and Local Health and Wellbeing community, and bring experience and positive energy to the process. Austica is well equipped with highly experienced, qualified and empowered personnel in the Health and Wellbeing sectors, including Community Health Programs, Hospital Infrastructure, Water and Sanitation Programs and Irrigation Programs.