WHO

On January 13, the World Health Organization (WHO) released a list of global health challenges, the issues to be addressed in the period 2020-2030 which focus on improving health systems in throughout member countries as part of the commitment to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals. For the WHO, “public health is a policy choice that, if left unaddressed, threatens lives, livelihoods and economies.”

One of the objectives proposed is to “make health care fairer”, as according to the WHO, the global increase in noncommunicable diseases such as cancer, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes, places a “disproportionately” heavy burden on low- and middle-income countries. 

WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Gebreyesus said the list of issues points to the fact that world leaders are not investing enough resources in health priorities and basic health systems, putting lives, livelihoods and economies at risk. He stressed the need to understand health spending as “an investment in the future.”