On Track for Failure to Achieve Goal of Eradicating Diseases in Southeast Asia by 2030
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is facing significant hurdles in achieving global goals for combating infectious diseases by 2030, according to a recent study published in the journal PLOS Medicine. The research, which examined data from 1990 to 2021, highlights several key challenges that ASEAN countries are encountering in their pursuit of the health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
One of the major obstacles is rural poverty and social inequities, which significantly hamper access to healthcare services and limit diagnosis, treatment, and prevention efforts against infectious diseases. Weak and fragmented health systems, particularly in countries like the Philippines, also pose a significant problem, with coordination and integration of healthcare delivery insufficient to effectively tackle diseases such as tuberculosis, HIV, and hepatitis B.
High prevalence of behavioral risk factors, including smoking and harmful alcohol use, exacerbate both communicable and non-communicable disease burdens. For instance, harmful alcohol consumption has risen by 40–90% in Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, contributing to chronic disease rates and complicating infectious disease control.
Unequal financial and social development across ASEAN nations leads to disparities in healthcare infrastructure and resource allocation, obstructing uniform progress towards SDG targets. Data challenges, including incomplete, unavailable, or unreported health data, limit the ability to monitor progress accurately, make evidence-based decisions, and mobilize resources effectively.
Increasing HIV/AIDS incidence, with new cases rising steadily in the past decade, highlights gaps in prevention, testing, and treatment programs. While some countries may eliminate malaria, no ASEAN member is currently on track to fully eradicate HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, or hepatitis B, signaling persistent endemicity and the need for intensified efforts.
Broader social determinants of health, such as nutrition deficits, environmental stress, and climate change, further complicate public health responses to infectious diseases in the region, necessitating integrated multisectoral approaches.
Diptendra Sarkar, a public health analyst and professor, emphasized that the study highlights the importance of socio-economic development in achieving health-related SDG targets. He stated that political stability and a tolerant society potentially push countries towards the 2030 health goals.
The study recommends targeted investments in primary care, health literacy, and cross-sectoral policy coordination to help lagging ASEAN countries close critical health-related SDG gaps before 2030. It also suggests that successes in high-performing ASEAN countries should be shared regionally to help those falling behind.
The ASEAN region is particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, which further complicates the region's efforts to meet health-related SDG targets. The 2030 deadline for the UN's SDGs should be upheld, as extending the timeline may dilute the urgency, particularly in areas like non-communicable disease and environmental health.
Singapore is the only ASEAN country expected to achieve the UN target for tackling non-communicable diseases such as cancer and diabetes, and for road injuries. The Philippines' overall score in the study has regressed, indicating that the country needs to make significant improvements to meet the health-related SDG targets.
All ASEAN countries made positive progress on nutrition, including the prevalence of stunting among children under five, according to the study. However, the challenges in combating infectious diseases and achieving the health-related SDGs are significant and require concerted efforts from all ASEAN countries to overcome.
The article was originally published on SciDev.Net.
[1] Diptendra Sarkar et al., "Progress of ASEAN countries towards the health-related Sustainable Development Goals: a systematic review and analysis," PLOS Medicine (2022).
[2] World Health Organization, "Health in the ASEAN region," ASEAN Health Sector Working Group (2021).
[3] United Nations Development Programme, "Sustainable Development Goals in ASEAN," UNDP ASEAN (2020).
[4] United Nations, "Indicators for Sustainable Development Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being," United Nations Statistics Division (2021).
- The study published in PLOS Medicine highlights water security as a crucial factor in achieving the health-related SDGs in ASEAN, given the region's vulnerability to climate change, which could impact access to clean water and exacerbate health-related issues.
- In the pursuit of SDGs, science plays a significant role in understanding and addressing the medical-conditions and health-and-wellness challenges faced by ASEAN countries, particularly those related to infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases, and behavioral risk factors.
- Recognizing the interconnectedness of health, nutrition, and environmental factors, the study underscores the need for multisectoral approaches to ensure water security, combat malnutrition, and manage climate change, all of which are key to achieving sustainable development goals in the ASEAN region.
