Core Health Indicators in the WHO European Region 2017. Special focus: 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda (2017)

2017

This sixth edition of Core health indicators coincides with the adoption of the WHO European Roadmap to implement 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which focuses on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), making them the natural special theme for the year. I am also delighted to note that the Regional Office has consulted on and proposed an approach to reduce the burden of reporting on Member States to develop a joint monitoring framework which would ease reporting of indicators and themes that are aligned across the Health 2020, SDG and NCD frameworks.

Even the most developed of countries can only report on half of SDG indicators and about a third of targets. But more than 75% of Health 2020 indicators could be mapped with one or more SDG indicators or themes. This is not only offering an opportunity for a joint monitoring framework, it is also showing that Health 2020 was truly ahead of its time.SDGs therefore offer a golden opportunity to promote intersectoral action, accelerate the implementation of the Health 2020 priorities and inform the policymaking processes in the Region.

Finally, based mostly on 2014 and 2015 data, the publication presents selected graphs and maps on key SDG-related topics relevant for the European Region, such as inequalities, universal health coverage, risk factors and NCDs.