Blog 1

      Goal 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all ages.            

   Currently a worldwide pandemic has affected the lives of thousands of people. COVID-19 has brought to light many of the flaws that many countries have regarding the healthcare system and it influences the people. Some of the main reasons why so many people have been affected by virus include that some countries were not prepared for this kind of issue to occur and expand and many don't have the resources available to have accessible healthcare that the people need. 

    

    This sustainable development goal, was created to ensure healthy lives and promote the importance of the people's wellbeing at all ages. Before the strike of the pandemic, significant process was made to improve the health of millions of people. For example, life expectancy has been increased by reducing some common killers such as child and maternal mortality. Although this process was substantial, there is still a lot more health issues and diseases that need to be addressed in order to keep promoting the health of the people (UN, 2020, para.2).

   

 The UN (2020) states that less than half of the global population has the resources for essential health services. Low income countries are expected to not have attainable heath services, however developed countries such as The United States  it would be expected for the people to have accessible affordable healthcare. That is not the case, the US health care does not provide health services to the entire population. Based on the current events that have conspired, the US became the the number one country with the most Coronavirus confirmed cases (6,189,488) since January. And just yesterday, September 6, 45,359 new cases were confirmed (WHO, 2020). This current overview just reveals how the health of the people is not being prioritized and how health services are not available for the public's well being.  

    

    One major step that can change situations as this one, is to set a framework that will ensure the population's health. This can start by recognizing the issue at hand and accepting a new heath care system can be made or changed in order to look out the well being of the public. To improve the health, inequalities and disparities need to be erased. Making these types of changes are not easy, not also are not impossible. The US has the economic resources to provide health services, medical research and resources but are not fully developed. Although some people may not see the issue regarding the health care system, it is a major issue that affects the lives of many. There are many families that don't have the means to afford health care insurance, others don't have access to them as easily as others and intersectionality plays a role in those who can be able to have health services available to them. According to the Institute of Medicine (US) Committee (200) the lack of healthcare is the due to the "interplay among innate individual factors (e.g., a person's sex, age, and genes), personal behavior, a vast array of powerful environmental conditions." These are factors that influence an entire population and change needs to be made to not let these factors affect the availability for health care. 

    The good health and well-being of the people should be a goal that the United States embraces. Providing a universal affordable healthcare and services would ensure that the public are living a thriving society. The US have the financial support and drive to make a change but bigger organizations need to take the initiative to act and create a health care system that if beneficial for everyone. 

References:

United Nations. (2020). Health – United Nations Sustainable Development. Retrieved September 07, 2020, from https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/health/

World Health Organization.(2020.). United States of America Country Overview. Retrieved September 07, 2020, from https://www.who.int/countries/usa

Institute of Medicine (US). (2002). The Future of the Public's Health in the 21st Century. Assuring America's Health. Retrieved September 07, 2020, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK221233/