How healthy is a 'healthy economy'? Incompatibility between current pathways towards SDG3 and SDG8

Area of Science:

• Global Health
• Health Economics
• Development Studies

Background:

• The global community faces a significant funding gap for achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG3) for good health and well-being.
• Economic growth, measured by SDG8, often excludes large segments of the population.
• International financial institutions, like the International Monetary Fund (IMF), influence national policies, potentially impacting SDG attainment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the incoherence between economic growth (SDG8) and health (SDG3) goals within the framework of the SDGs.
• To analyze the influence of IMF policies on health and social sector spending in three East African countries: Malawi, Uganda, and Tanzania.

Main Methods:

• Policy analysis and advocacy work focused on SDG-related issues.
• Comparative case study approach examining Malawi, Uganda, and Tanzania.

Main Results:

• While some health indicators like infant mortality have improved, others lag in the study countries.
• Underfunding of the health sector is a primary driver of poor health outcomes and access inequities.
• Increases in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) do not automatically lead to increased national health spending, which remains below recommended per capita levels.

Conclusions:

• GDP-focused economic growth strategies, influenced by IMF policies, can impede progress on health-related SDGs.
• IMF's continued emphasis on austerity and pro-cyclical development, despite acknowledging social development, negatively impacts population health.
• Achieving SDGs requires governments to prioritize equitable wealth distribution and social sector investment over solely pursuing GDP growth, emphasizing global cooperation (SDG17).