Blog Post 8 - Israel

Welcome to my last and final blog! For this blog we will cover the country of Israel. This country is on a mission to better the health and well-being of everyone in their country. Let’s take a look! To begin, citizens in Israel can sign up as members for a health maintenance organization, this gives them the right to receive any type of medical services that they may need. The first target in their agenda is maternal and child health, they have a pretty low rate due to the fact that they provide benefits to them starting from the age of 3 all the way up until they reach grade 12. These services are guaranteed by the National Health insurance or NHI for short. They have also free universal preventive pediatric care also known as PPC, “this includes immunizations, growth and developmental surveillance, anticipatory guidance, breastfeeding support, screening for postpartum depression.” (National review Israel, 2019). This type of support is essential in woman’s life and their families because transitioning into motherhood is a new experience and having the guidance can make it an easier transition. They would also like to lower the rate of tuberculosis in their country and this is why they have created the Israeli National TB Program. Another target they would like to reach is increase treatment for substance abuse. This was the first time I see a country address different substance abuse, and they are teaming up with different organizations to reach their goal. The ministry of labor social affairs and social services was created in order to look after patients and make sure they get the help they need such as rehabilitation and substance detox. Moreover, they will need to monitor this SDG. They plan on doing this by working with Israel’s Central Bureau which will develop new indicators that measure “sustainability and resilience” (United Nations development group, 2015). They have also established a program known as the National Program for hospitals in order to measure the quality of care. This will help them collect data and give them an insight of what could be improved as well as what has worked out. The cost of implementing this agenda will be around 4,421.5 million US dollars. Some of this money will be invested in the World Health Organization and fighting diseases that might come around. 

Furthermore, Israel is also focused on climate change, this is because climate change also contributes to the health of their citizens. It is estimated that in 2017 around 2,240 people died because of air pollution and because of this they have implemented the Clean Air Law. The objective of this law is to reduce the pollution that certain things may cause such as transportation and other fossil fuel energy. This SDG is important in the country, but it would not be considered an issue because they have been taking the necessary steps to improve the countries health. The resources they have to reach this goal, is teaming up with the Grand Challenges Program which focuses on human health and improving it. This is currently being addressed by the country and it is considered a priority as well. 

Resources:

Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. (2019) National Review Israel [PDF file]. Retrieved from

https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/23576Israel_SDG_VNR_final.pdf

United Nations development group. (2015) Planning, implementation, follow-up and review of the sustainable development goals [PDF file]. Retrieved from
https://www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/sustainable-development/Israel_Regional_SDG_Survey.pdf

Work Health Assembly Day 3: WHO priorities aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). (20217, May 26). Retrieved from
http://www.euro.who.int/en/countries/israel/news/news/2017/05/world-health-assembly-day-3-who-priorities-aligned-with-the-sustainable-development-goals-sdgs

Israel .:. Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform. (n.d.). Retrieved from 
https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/memberstates/israel

Images:

Map of Israel in cartoon style vector image one VectorStock. Retrieved from
https://www.vectorstock.com/royalty-free-vector/map-of-israel-in-cartoon-style-vector-9729630

Chapter 16 ~ Eastern Mediterranean - ppt video online download. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://slideplayer.com/slide/10834822/

Blog Post 7 - France

Bonjour! For this week we will be covering the country France. France has already accomplished a few targets already. Let’s take a look! Within the sustainable development goals, they have achieved a high standard of living and quality of life, unemployment rate has gone down to 10.2% which is below average, and they have developed a social security system that protects people living in France from social risks. Although they have done a lot, there is still more to be done to accomplish SDG 3, good health and well-being. Some of the goals they would like to complete or at least improve by 2030 are “Maintain a high level of healthy, long life expectancy and well-being, achieve universal health coverage and easy access to healthcare, eradicate environmental health risk inequalities, work to end the major epidemics (HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria), and achieve equal access for all to healthcare and health services.” (Sustainable Development goals, 2016). 
Some of the actions they have taken to implement these targets are in the following ways: The government in France has started making savings, in order to be able to reimburse social security accounts which will allow people so seek healthcare and in the future lower the price of medicine for people to have access to them. They also have the regional healthcare pact, which launched in December back in 2012, the exciting part about this is that it promotes doctors to establish their offices in underserved area. This is great because there are many communities who are unable to seek medical attention due to the fact many clinics are far away. France is also part of the global fun to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. 

They know how important it is to continue to fund these types of organizations to continue to fight against these diseases and lower them as well. From 2017 to 2019, France has donated 1.08 billion euros to this organization. They have also contributed to “GAVI, the vaccine alliance about 465 million euros between 2016 and 2017.” (France Diplomatie). They would also like to provide services to maternal, child, and teens which is why they have created different healthcare services as well as contributed 500 million euros. To keep track of their progress, France is working towards creating indicators that will monitor and track the SDG’s. They will be authorized by the UN General Assembly sometime in the future. 

France has established the Healthcare innovation investment fund; they have a budget of 340 million euros which will go towards to creating projects and promoting healthcare innovations. This will also go towards the Strategic Advisory Board on the Health Industries to “disseminate innovations and monitor antibiotic resistance.” (Sustainable Development Goals, 2016). They also face challenges, like climate change, that can affect the health of many. Because of this, they have implemented the National Environmental Health Plan, this plan is designed to reduce air and water pollution. This SDG is an issue and a priority for the country which is why they are relying on other resources to reach SDG3. One of the is the Health Act, which was created by the French public health agency, this health act wants to increase patients’ rights and safety. What does this mean? It means that any information pertaining to the patients will remain confidential, this will build trust among the patients encouraging them to seek medical attention. They also have protection for all, which is known as PUMA, this guarantees health care coverage for working residents if they were to get sick or pregnant. If France continues to implement these strategies, as well as new ones they will be able to reach their goal and improve the health of many.

Sources:

Sustainable Development Goals. (2016) Report on the Implementation by France [PDF file]. Retrieved from

https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/10726Report%20SDGs%20France.pdf

Ministére de l’Europe et des Affaires étrangères. (n.d). SDG 3.

Good helath and well-being. Retrieved from

https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/french-foreign-policy/development-assistance/the-international-development-agenda/article/sdg-3-good-health-and-well-being

Universal health protection (PUMa), a system available to expats residing in France. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://fr.april-international.com/en/schengen-visa-coming-france/universal-health-protection-puma-system-available-expats-residing

Images:

Kembaren04, A. (n.d.). Map of France - France Tourist Map, Free Transparent Clipart - ClipartKey. Retrieved from

https://www.clipartkey.com/view/mowmwm_map-of-france-france-tourist-map/

Diplomacy, F. (2018, July 24). #AIDS2018 | France participates in the International AIDS Conference in Amsterdam (23-27 July).Retrieved from

https://twitter.com/francediplo_EN/status/1021762167652196354

Gavi Image (2016). Retrieved from

https://www.who.int/immunization/sage/meetings/2016/april/SFB_SAGE_2016_FINAL.pdf?ua=1

Blog Post 6 - Australia

In this blog we will cover the country that is known for having Koalas and Kangaroos! Australia! Not only are they known for having cute animals, but for being a country that takes health seriously and is considered to be one of the countries that has a rather healthy population. Although, having a healthy population is great, there is always room for improvement; which is why we will be talking about the different strategies they have to improve SDG 3 health and well-being. To begin, Australia is a member of the World Health Organization. Australia supports the right for everyone to have access to health regardless of who is requesting it. The first item they would like to address is the gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians and non- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. It is estimated that “Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians have a life expectancy about 10 years shorter than non-Indigenous Australians.” (Australian SDGs Hub for Business) In order to decrease this gap, they have created the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan. This plan is to help those who need medical attention as well as inform them about health and hopefully increase the life expectancy. Other measures they have taken is having bare packaging for their tobacco products. This has resulted in a decrease in daily smoking, in 2003 it dropped to 22.3% and in 2014-2015 it dropped down to 14.7%. They have also developed a vaccine called the “Human Papillomavirus vaccine, a vital step forward in women’s health.” (Sustainable Development, 2018.) They would also like to target non-communicable diseases such as obesity, harmful consumption of alcohol, and physical inactivity. Because of this, they have created the Australian Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance. This campaign creates programs and promotes them, helping the community learn about all of these diseases and how to prevent them; or if they have any of these conditions how to look after themselves. 

To keep monitor this SDG and other SDG’s they have created an online SDG platform, which tracks national progress. “The site titled, 'Transforming Australia,' houses a collection of data with an emphasis on the Goals and indicators most relevant to Australia.” (SDG Knowledgeable Hub, 2018.) It is not clear how much they plan to invest, but they have already funded 10 billion dollars per year since 2016 to assist in housing. It is estimated that 25% of the people being helped by this fund have mental health issues. Among other things that are affecting Australians health and well-being is climate change. Australia has intense and frequent heatwaves which affects the health of many. They have created a strategy called “Urban greening which is one low-cost strategy authorities have identified that has considerable benefits for the environment, economy and the health and wellbeing of residents.” (Sustainable Development, 2018.) The resources that they have in order to reach this goal consist of different organizations such as beyondblue and lifeline Australia, a mental health first aid also known as MHFA. They also have a global fund to fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria, it is known as the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).  The SDG 3 is currently being addressed by Australia and it is considered a priority. 

Sources:

Sustainable Development. (2018). Report on the implementation of the sustainable development goals [PDF file]. Retrieved from

https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/20470VNR_final_approved_version.pdf

Australian SDGs Hub For Business. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://www.unglobalcompact.org.au/sdgs/non-business-advancing-the-sdgs/sdg-3

Iisd. (n.d.). Australias SDG Portal Targets Transformative Change: News: SDG Knowledge Hub: IISD. Retrieved from

https://sdg.iisd.org/news/australias-sdg-portal-targets-transformative-change/

Images:

Gleeson, J. (n.d.). Design a vector map packed with creatures and landmarks. Retrieved from

https://www.digitalartsonline.co.uk/tutorials/adobe-illustrator/design-vector-map/

Mental Health First Aid Training. (2019, September 30). Retrieved from

https://phynixinitiative.com.au/mental-health-first-aid-training/

Blog Post 5 - Canada

In today’s blog we will be talking about Canada and how they are implementing the 2030 sustainable developmental goal agenda. Canada is dedicated to implementing all of the SDG’s because they believe that in order for there to be progress each one must be addressed. 

Their agenda consists of a national strategy which involves working closely with all levels of the government, indigenous people, civil society and the private sector. They would like to reach out to everyone to make sure no one is left behind as well as insure their well-being. Health is something they would really like to improve in Canada. Ideally, they would like everyone to have the right to enjoy their health (mentally and physically) to the fullest. To start, they would like to address children’s health. Children are some of the individuals who are most vulnerable to different illnesses which is why they have created surveillance programs that will focus on different illnesses such as “congenital abnormalities, rare and emerging pediatric diseases, childhood cancers, injuries.” (International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2017). Other health concerns they have is chronic diseases such as cancer, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes. It estimated that 65% of the population die from these types of diseases, therefore they have produced interventions to prevent chronic diseases. This has led them to look at common factors that lead to these chronic diseases which are “unhealthy eating, physical inactivity, tobacco, drug and alcohol use.”(International Institute for sustainable Development, 2017). They have come up with a strategy called Canada’s Healthy Eating Strategy to overcome this issue which includes banning certain items that have hydrogenated oils, regulating certain foods that are unhealthy and making sure that labels are present in front of the package to make people aware of what they are putting in their bodies. HIV, mental health, sexual and reproductive rights are targets they are also trying to improve. Another item they have addressed is the indigenous people that live in Canada. Canada would genuinely like to offer their help and any other type of resources to the indigenous people to make sure that they are also being looked after; because of this the prime minister of Canada has created a new Department of Indigenous Services Canada (ISC). With this they hope to increase their health outcomes by providing services they may need. 

Not only does Canada need resources to implement the agenda but they will also need some type of funding. It did not specify how much they intend to spend, but the report did say how much they have already funded to different organizations in order to achieve these targets. They have committed over $520 million for vaccines. Which will provide vaccines for those who need it the most. They have donated another $240 million to the Global Financing Facility for Every Woman Every Child. This organization intends to look after women and reduce the rate of children mortality. They must take other initiatives to continue providing the best health possible for the population, for example climate change is definitely something that has an impact and is currently an issue. They plan of keeping track of these SDG's by also "allocating new funds to establish an SDG unit. Which will ensure effective 2030 agenda coordination across federal departments and agencies." (Sustainable Development Knowledge, 2018). Pollution is considered one of the leading factors that contributes to early deaths. Canada has teamed up with an Air Quality Management System, with this they intend to lower pollution as well as lower deaths and hopefully see an improvement. This is currently being addressed in the country and it is certainly a priority because any type of measures can definitely lower the risk of affecting people’s health.

Some of the highlights for SDG indicators include:

•  chronic disease mortality rates have experienced a decreasing trend across most cities
• while suicide and self-inflicted injury mortality rates have increased across Canada, Canadian cities have seen an overall decline between 2001 to 2011
• Heavy drinking and rates in Halifax and Toronto decreased 2003 and 2014. (Sustainable Development, 2018).

Resources:

International Institute for Sustainable Development. (2017). Tracking the SDGs in Canadian Cities: SDG 3 [PDF file]. Retrieved from

https://www.iisd.org/sites/default/files/publications/tracking-sdgs-canadian-cities-sdg-3.pdf

Sustainable Development. (2018). Canada's Implementation of the 2030 agenda [PDF file]. Retrieved from

https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/20033CanadasVoluntaryNationalReviewENv6.pdf

Canada .:. Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/memberstates/canada

Images:

Dawn, A. (2018) [Image of colorful Canada Map] Retrieved from

https://www.etsy.com/listing/624965494/illustrated-map-of-canada-blue-8x10

[Image of Prime Minister with Chief Perry Bellegarde] Retrieved from

https://news.yahoo.com/top-aboriginal-chief-canadas-trudeau-words-easy-action-225327845.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAKAG-tm1nj49ZOijK-KpiPyDR_mWZzI0C8QSpDzIaIqOWpOxFbfnuxaMuxXyjNA7RayvQy8t9cCRkRmH3lP7BXV68M3s8MtXeWfuxglRPQe2TRrZ_uPY3fsrjAx4OI4iuthcoZ4iozQ-k4NCzLE0J9BhZDgpjH_LMyhVaDXj0uYf