Impact of Public Health and Sustainability of Global Health Action for Achieving SDG 3

Global health is an area for research and practice that places a priority in improving health and achieving health equity for all people worldwide. Therefore, it corresponds with the aims of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for providing universal health coverage and leaving no one behind (SDG 3). Public health is understood as global health on a regional or local level. Whereas “old” public health focused mainly on the prevention of infectious diseases and the healthcare for specific subgroups at risk, “new” public health takes a holistic and interdisciplinary perspective on aspects related to health and well-being. Inter alia, public health genuinely deals with the reduction of health inequalities and risk factors—not only by prevention on a behavioural level, but also on a structural level, such as environment and society. Thus, we understand health as part of each of the 17 SDGs. In a world characterised by globalisation as well as epidemiologic and demographic transitions, the impact and sustainability of global health action needs to be taken into account to improve the world population’s well-being. Therefore, this contribution highlights present and future challenges for global health. Furthermore, it provides overarching suggestions and policy advices for improvements to strengthen a global response on today’s challenges and to gain the targets set within the SDGs, by pointing out that almost all of the 17 SDGs are relevant for health-related issues.