How surgical care can unlock the SDGs

Blog

Sat Sep' 23

In the pursuit of a better world, the United Nations has laid out 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These goals aim to address a wide range of global challenges and improve the quality of life for all. Among them, many of the SDGs stand out as crucial pillars of global development. But what might not be immediately evident is how investment in surgical care plays a pivotal role in advancing these goals.

SDG 1: No Poverty

For many families, one devastating illness is all it takes to be pushed into poverty. Access to surgical care can help prevent this from ever happening. Inadequate surgical services can lead to long-term disability and lost productivity, exacerbating poverty. By investing in surgical care, we can help ensure that individuals do not fall into poverty due to unmet healthcare needs.

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

Surgical interventions are essential for addressing a wide range of health conditions, from life-saving surgeries to the treatment of injuries and chronic diseases. Access to safe and affordable surgical care is fundamental to achieving good health and well-being for all, which is at the core of SDG 3.

SDG 4: Quality Education

A healthy population is more likely to access quality education. Investment in surgical care contributes to improved health, allowing children to attend school regularly and adults to continue their education or vocational training, thus supporting SDG 4's goal of quality education.

SDG 5: Gender Equality

In many societies, women and girls face significant barriers to accessing surgical care. By investing in surgical services that are sensitive to gender disparities and addressing cultural and economic factors, we can advance gender equality, a key aim of SDG 5.

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

A healthy workforce is essential for economic development. Investment in surgical care promotes the timely return of individuals to work after illness or injury, contributing to SDG 8's goal of decent work and economic growth.

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

Improving surgical infrastructure and fostering innovation in healthcare delivery are essential aspects of advancing surgical care. These efforts align with SDG 9's emphasis on industry, innovation, and infrastructure development.

SDG 10: Reduced Inequality

Access to surgical care is often unequal, with marginalized populations facing greater barriers. By ensuring equitable access to surgical services, we can contribute to reducing inequalities, a central aim of SDG 10.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

Collaboration between governments, healthcare institutions, non-governmental organizations, and other stakeholders is essential for strengthening surgical care systems. Partnerships in healthcare are a cornerstone of SDG 17 and can drive improvements in surgical care worldwide.

We need people like you to join our movement. Without a voice, surgical care's life-saving will continue to be overlooked. Lives will continue to be lost.

Investment in surgical care is key to achieving a better, fairer future, & we won't stop until safe surgery is closer for the 5 billion people on Earth living without it.

Join us today & be part of the solution for a better future for all.