Sustainable Development Goal 3 : Targets, Indicators and Progress

Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3) aims to “Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.” Established by the United Nations in 2015 as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, SDG 3 adopts a life-cycle approach to public health. It builds upon the unfinished agenda of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) while addressing emerging challenges such as non-communicable diseases, mental health, universal health coverage, and environmental hazards.

Core Targets and Indicators of SDG 3

SDG 3 contains 13 specific targets monitored through 28 global indicators. These targets divide into nine substantive outcome targets and four means-of-implementation targets.

Outcome Targets (Targets 3.1 to 3.9)

• Target 3.1 (Maternal Mortality): Reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births by 2030. Measured by maternal mortality ratio (Indicator 3.1.1) and proportion of births attended by skilled health personnel (Indicator 3.1.2).
• Target 3.2 (Child Mortality): End preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age. Targets include reducing neonatal mortality to at least 12 per 1,000 live births and under-5 mortality to at least 25 per 1,000 live births.
• Target 3.3 (Communicable Diseases): End epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and neglected tropical diseases, and combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases, and other communicable diseases.
• Target 3.4 (Non-Communicable Diseases and Mental Health): Reduce premature mortality from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) by one third through prevention and treatment, and promote mental health and well-being.
• Target 3.5 (Substance Abuse): Strengthen prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse and harmful use of alcohol.
• Target 3.6 (Road Traffic Accidents): Halve global deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents.
• Target 3.7 (Sexual and Reproductive Health): Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive healthcare services, including family planning, information, and education.
• Target 3.8 (Universal Health Coverage): Achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC), including financial risk protection and access to safe, effective, quality, and affordable essential medicines and vaccines.
• Target 3.9 (Environmental Health): Reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water, and soil pollution.

Means of Implementation Targets (Targets 3.a to 3.d)

• Target 3.a (Tobacco Control): Strengthen implementation of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC).
• Target 3.b (Vaccines and Medicines R&D): Support research, development, and universal access to affordable essential medicines and vaccines, utilizing TRIPS flexibilities.
• Target 3.c (Health Financing and Workforce): Increase health financing and the recruitment, development, training, and retention of the health workforce in developing nations.
• Target 3.d (Emergency Preparedness): Strengthen early warning systems, risk reduction, and management of national and global health risks.

Global and Regional Progress Matrix

India’s Progress, Performance and Policy Initiatives

India plays a central role in achieving global SDG 3 targets due to its demographic size. According to NITI Aayog’s SDG India Index 2023-24, India’s overall SDG 3 score improved to 77, driven by improvements in institutional deliveries, child immunization, and maternal care.

Key Health Indicators in India

• Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR): India reduced its MMR from 130 per 100,000 live births in 2014-16 to 97 per 100,000 live births (SRS 2018-20), achieving the national target ahead of 2030.
• Under-5 Mortality Rate (U5MR): Declined to 32 per 1,000 live births, bringing India close to the global target of 25 per 1,000 live births.
• Neonatal Mortality Rate (NMR): Reduced to 20 per 1,000 live births, progressing toward the target of 12.
• Institutional Deliveries: Expanded to over 97% of total births reported in health facilities across the country.
• Immunization Coverage: Full immunization coverage among children aged 9 to 11 months reached over 93%.

Major Indian Flagship Schemes Supporting SDG 3

• Ayushman Bharat (PM-JAY & AB-HWCs): Provides health coverage up to ₹5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care. Converts primary health centers into Ayushman Arogya Mandirs to target UHC (Target 3.8).
• PM-ABHIM (Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission): Focuses on strengthening critical care infrastructure and early disease detection capacity (Target 3.d).
• POSHAN Abhiyaan and Saksham Anganwadi: Addresses child and maternal undernutrition, stunting, and anemia.
• Mission Indradhanush: Aims for 100% full immunization coverage against vaccine-preventable diseases for children and pregnant women.
• Nikshay Poshan Yojana: Provides financial nutrition incentives to tuberculosis patients to support TB elimination goals under Target 3.3.
• National Health Mission (NHM): Serves as the overarching operational framework for maternal care, child survival, and communicable disease control.

Core SDG 3 Facts

• SDG 3 contains 13 targets and 28 official indicators monitored by international organizations led by WHO and UNICEF.
• Target 3.8 (Universal Health Coverage) acts as the central anchor that unites all other outcome and process targets under SDG 3.
• India achieved its national target for Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR below 100) ahead of the 2030 timeline.
• The WHO benchmark for health workforce density stands at 44.5 skilled health workers per 10,000 population.
• India’s NITI Aayog monitors state-level progress on SDG 3 using the annual SDG India Index report.
• Tobacco consumption is addressed under Target 3.a through the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC).
• Catastrophic health expenditure occurs when direct out-of-pocket medical payments exceed 10% or 25% of household income.