Investigation Of The Sustainable Development Goals In Global Health

Introduction

One might ask the question, what is Global Health? According to the Journal of Global Health, Global Health can be defined as an area for study, research, and practice that places a priority on improving health and achieving health equity for all people worldwide. (Li, n. d. ) Global health is built upon mission, vision, and value. Their mission states and I quote “We are driven by our passion to deliver the best healthcare coverage in the industry. We are committed to continuous innovation and comprehensive member engagement to earn the satisfaction and confidence of those we serve”. Their vision is that they aspire to earn and retain provider confidence and trust in us. They aspire to be the clear choice health insurance, to offer our affordable healthcare products nationwide, to be the employer of choice in our industry, attracting and retaining a highly talented workforce, to continuously innovate, and to achieve member confidence in all we do. They also have set values that they try to abide by. (Globalhealth. com, n. d. )

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are considered as the blueprint to developing a better and more sustainable future for everyone. (United Nations Sustainable Development, n. d. ) Building on the principle of “leaving no one behind”, the new Agenda emphasizes a holistic approach to achieving sustainable development for all. Over the next fifteen years, with these new Goals that universally apply to all, countries will set in motion efforts to stop all forms of poverty, fight inequalities and tackle climate change, while ensuring that no one is left behind. The SDGs build on the success of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). They pay close attention to the challenges that we face. The SDGs were originated at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro in 2012 (UNDP 2018). The objective was to produce a set of universal goals that intersect the urgent environmental, political and economic challenges facing our world. In 2000 the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) started a global effort to take on the indignity of poverty (UNDP). The MDGs achieved measureable objectives as regards to decreasing poverty and hunger, avert deadly diseases, and expanding primary education to all children. The MSG was later replaced by the SDGs.

According to un. org, approximately half of the world’s population survives off of an equivalence of US$2 a day with an unemployment rate of 5. 7% and also, having a job does not guarantee the ability to escape poverty in many places. It has been seen that for over the past 25 years the number of working class people that are living in extreme poverty has drastically declined. (United Nations Sustainable Development, n. d. ) Sustainable goal number eight (8) push towards diminish the issue of unemployment and improve the economy worldwide. This goal will require societies to create conditions that can allow people to acquire quality jobs with decent working conditions which in turn will improve the economy. In addition to this, access to financial services to manage incomes, accumulate assets as well as make productive investments needs to be increased. Another way to build commerce and reduce the unemployment rate is to have more commitment in trade, banking and agricultural infrastructure. Some of the targets of the goal are to eradicate forced labour, end modern day slavery and human trafficking and permanently eradicate child labour, including recruitment and use of child soldiers.

The goal also seeks to promote safe and secure working conditions for all workers including migrant’s particularly female migrants and those in hazardous employment. It also wishes to achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation. And promote sustained economic growth; achieve higher levels of productivity and technological innovations. Encouraging entrepreneurship and job creation are vital to this, as are effective measures to eradicate forced labour, slavery and human trafficking. With these targets in mind, the goal is basically to achieve full and decent work for all women and men by 2030”. (United Nations Sustainable Development, n. d. )

Sustainable Goal Number Fifteen (15): LIFE ON LAND Sustainable development goals of Life on Land serve to protect and restore life on land through political and economic actions. Life on land is shielded by laws and corporations designated to ensure its safety and long existence. These laws are enacted and enforced to achieve desired outcomes within a desired timeframe. By the year 2020, one goal outlined is to conserve and restore terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems. Due to critical role of forestry, another goal is intended to end deforestation and restore the forests that have been degraded. We must protect our forests also be able to strengthen natural resource management and increase land productivity.

The extinction of endangered species will also be targeted and controlled. Along with endangered species and safe animals, poaching and trafficking of protected species of flora and fauna will be counteracted. In today’s society, degradation and the loss of arable land is being seeing all over. Drought is also on the rise each year. (United Nations Sustainable Development, n. d. ) At this time millions of hectares of forest are being lost every year while the persistent degradation of dry lands has led to the desertification of a lot of hectares. Currently 15% of land is under protection, biodiversity is still at risk. Deforestation and desertification this is caused by human activities and climate change that poses major challenges to sustainable development and have affected the lives and livelihoods of millions of people in the fight against poverty in the country. Respective personnel are trying to put measures in place to manage forests and alleviate desertification. International agreements being implemented currently to promote the use of resources in equitable way even financial investments in support of biodiversity are also being provided in this area.

By 2020 the global targets of the SDGs aim to conserve and restore the use of terrestrial ecosystems such as forests, dry lands, wetlands and mountains. By 2030, they want to combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by desertification, drought and floods, and also strive for the achievement of a land degradation-neutral world”. (United Nations Sustainable Development, n. d. )

Goal: To organize an effective fortnightly forum to educate the community about the correct labor laws of Jamaica, safer environmental regulations for working and increasing the percentage of employment within the community with incorporating agriculture, as well as to minimize the desertification of the lands within the community and to educate the residents about the importance of the preservation of the agricultural environment.

Problem Area: Burnt Savannah District

Plan

1. Advocate for more routine garbage collection to minimize desertification caused by constant burning of garbage.
2. To have fortnightly forums to educate the working sector within the community about:
1. The standardized working hours by the law that is eight hours per day.
2. The choice of working overtime to which the employee and employer must agree with to prevent forced labor.
3. The right to Protective equipment when necessary such as; masks when being introduced constantly to airborne chemicals, gloves to prevent injury and even earmuffs when working in a noisy environment.
4. To aid and promote working in conducive situations to alleviated fear of the becoming ill and to be more productive.
3. To educate the community of the economic benefits of practicing agriculture by showing actual statistics within the forum.
4. To arrange for a local pedologists to educate especially farmers about the importance of preserving the agricultural environment.
5. To aid and support youth employment to alleviate youth unemployment and the upgrading of technologies to boost productivity.

The Role of the Nurse

The nurse plays a vital role in the smooth running of the programs. For him/her to effectively carry out her/his task she/he has to first possess the caring characteristics of a nurse and be dedicated to the calling. She must possess the six C’s of calling as outline by Simone Roach in 1992: Compassion, Competence, Conscience, Confidence, Commitment, Comportment and by addition Creativity. The nurse would play the role as an advocate for the community members to push the issue of regular garbage pickups so that the community members would not resort to burning their garbage which can have a dangerous effect of the respiratory system as well as harm the environment. The nurse would also act as an educator to educate members on the adverse effects of burning their garbage as well as the health benefits of preserving the forestry in the area for more tress enhance the amount of oxygen in the air.

The nurse can also educate the members on the importance of proper rest and a healthy diet in order for them to be more effective at their different work places. He/she could also share with them the damages that overworking does to their health. In addition to this, the nurse would take on the role of a promoter in promoting the different forums that will be taking place fortnightly while she conducts her home visits in the community. During the forums the nurse can conduct screenings to keep community member abreast about their health statuses. During these screening the community members can inform the nurse of any health challenges they may be experiencing at in the work place such as illnesses that may be cause by the work environment in which they are in.

Evaluation

The implementation of the plan was a success as a result of the active participation of the residents in the community of Burnt Savannah District, in collaboration with the nurse and advocates. With the compliance of the residents to apply the new strategies taught at the forums they were able to both; have an increase in their economic development and understand the benefits of being in a healthier environment. Approximately 95% of the residents attended the forum to get their screening done by the nurse and upon the completion of the fortnightly forums to educate the residents, the working sector would have been able to have a different outlook as well as to understand the unfamiliar laws that coincides with their specific job areas and safety, as well as self-employed residents such as farmers understanding the effects of not properly using protective equipment’s to prevent direct or second-hand injuries. With the inspection of the overall goal of this project it can be said that the goal was met and can be further maintained by the residents efforts of continuing with their active and collaborative participation.