Global Health beyond the MDGs > Background

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

In times of changing international development agendas, the health Millennium Development Goals remain critical to people's aspiration for a better life. With only a few years left before 2015, when the MDGs should be met, many experts are critically analysing the underlying causes for the lack of success to meet the ambitious goals on reducing child mortality by two-thirds (MDG4), to cut maternal mortality by three-quarters (MDG5) and to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis (MDG6). Paradoxically, whereas some health indicators have improved considerably e.g. child mortality, or have made some progress e.g. the spread of HIV which seems to have peaked, other health indicators are simultaneously experiencing a negative development e.g. tuberculosis in Sub-Saharan Africa and access to family planning and maternity care in many low-income countries. Furthermore, the gap between countries - e.g. maternal mortality remaining more than 500-fold higher in some African countries than in northern European countries - bears witness to the highly inequitable global health situation.

With 2015 approaching, there is an urgent need to critically examine the MDGs and discuss how they could be refined and updated -or radically changed- in order to encompass the changing reality of global health. The ‘double burden of diseases' - referring to the interface between non-communicable diseases and communicable diseases - was not high on the MDG agenda when it was launched in 2000. There is also a need to take the social determinants of health more seriously and integrate the impact of challenges related to e.g. urbanization, violent conflicts and fragile states, lack of access to education (MDG 2), inequitable gender relations (MDG 3), and global climate change (MDG 7) in the control of co-existing risk factors that hinder the achievements of the MDGs.

The transition in the health of millions of people, including the presence of conflict and crisis in many countries, are changing the need for health services - and for health research - considerably. Functioning health systems tomorrow and by 2030 require in-depth understanding of current and future health problems. Education institutions have a responsibility to be in the forefront and respond to the new, emerging needs in order to educate people with the skills and capacities that match the environment they will be working in.

To address major challenges, Enreca Health in partnership with World Diabetes Foundation (WDF), Council on Health Research for Development (COHRED), Universities Denmark's Platforms on Human Health and Stability, Democracy & Rights are pleased to announce a conference where international experts and stakeholders will actively and critically re-think the research and capacity building requirements in view of the emerging public health needs. As a side event to the Conference, Global Doctors will arrange a seminar: Beyond the MDGs - Opportunities and Challenges for Human Resources in Health.

Objectives of the Conference:

• To present and discuss evidence, gaps, facts and new ideas regarding the global public health agenda and disease burden in a post-MDGs era;

• To discuss how these may impact the need for health research;

• To discuss how partners from low-income countries can be enabled to set their own priorities; and

• To produce concrete recommendations for policy-makers and researchers on a new agenda for health research, knowledge management and capacity building in a post-MDGs era (‘A Copenhagen Statement') to be shared widely with stakeholders and partners around the world.