Sustainable Development Goals: an opportunity for health in Africa?

The purpose of this article is to examine to what extent the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) hold out new promises for health in Africa. Two significant shortcomings will have to be overcome. Application of a 'social determinants of health' approach is still woefully difficult in Africa due to the stronghold that international actors maintain over local governments. The persistence of a 'turnkey' concept of health policies is reflected in the coexistence of a disparate range of programmes and measures, often driven by the development partners. Thus the low level of institutional complementarities is a crucial issue in the effective implementation of the SDGs.