World Engineering Day
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SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
SDG Goal

SDG 3 aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. While global health has improved, significant challenges remain, particularly in reducing maternal and child mortality, combating diseases, and ensuring access to healthcare services.

How engineering can make it happen

Engineering has been crucial during the Covid pandemic with advanced technologies deployed, for example, in the search for a vaccine, through advanced manufacturing processes, logistics and transportation systems, and in 3D-printing for personal protective equipment. Engineering has eradicated diseases such as typhoid and cholera through clean water and sanitation. Biomedical engineering has developed medical devices for limbs, and improvements have been made in hearing, heart health, and brain functioning. Robotics, computer vision, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are revolutionizing diagnosis, detection, and surgical procedures, and improving accessibility for low-income countries.

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Film courtesy of the Royal Academy of Engineers

Global progress

  • Global health progress is slowing after decades of gains. Between 2000 and 2019, maternal and child mortality declined significantly; the HIV incidence rate fell; and healthy life expectancy increased by over five years. However, Covid-19 reversed some of these gains, cutting life expectancy by 1.8 years and slowing progress towards nearly all health-related SDG targets.
  • Infectious and non-communicable diseases remain major threats. AIDS-related deaths have halved since 2010, and 54 countries have eliminated at least one neglected tropical disease. Meanwhile, malaria cases are rising; tuberculosis returned to being probably the world’s leading cause of death from a single infectious agent in 2023; and non-communicable diseases killed 18 million people under age 70 in 2021. Risk factors such as tobacco use, air pollution and poor diet remain insufficiently addressed.
  • Deep inequalities and under resourced systems persist. Despite a growing health workforce and expanded services, major inequalities persist. Low-income and fragile settings face the highest risks due to underfunded systems, service gaps, and workforce shortages.
  • Global health resilience requires bold investment and equity. To meet global health targets by 2030, a substantial intensification of efforts is needed to address deep-seated inequalities, strengthen primary care, build resilient and inclusive health systems, and ensure universal access to quality care.

Source: https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2025/

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