Today's Edition
Mays Ibrahim (ABU DHABI)
The UAE boasts the lowest ratio of maternal mortality in the Middle East, which improved from 6 per 100,000 livebirths in 2015 to 3 in 2022, according to the Monitoring SDG3 in the UAE, 2022 report, released by the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) in February.
It marks the first official health Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) report in the UAE, shedding light on the country’s strides in achieving the “Good Health and Well-being” SDG set by the United Nations.
At the forefront of the SDGs negotiation process, first carried out in an Open Working Group of the UN General Assembly, the UAE played a pivotal role, representing the Asia Pacific and Arab Groups. Its contributions spanned critical areas such as energy, education, global partnership, health, water, and women’s empowerment, underscoring its commitment to global sustainability, according to the report.
According to the report, the UAE’s success in reducing maternal mortality can be attributed to various factors, including the consistent proportion of skilled birth attendance, which has remained at 99-100% over the past five years.
Additionally, the country has made commendable progress in reducing under-five mortality to 7 per 1,000 live births and neonatal mortality to 4 per 1,000 live births, showcasing a consistent decline over the past decade, the report showed.
The UAE also leads in Universal Health Coverage (UHC) with a remarkable 78% on the UHC service coverage index, the highest among Arab countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region. The country’s commitment to ensuring public health is evident in its efforts to successfully maintain a mortality rate attributed to exposure to unsafe Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) services below 0.1.
UAE Efforts to Adopt, Achieve the SDGS
In line with its dedication to the SDGs, the UAE has taken concrete steps to adopt and achieve the goals. This includes the formation of a National Committee for SDGs in January 2017, chaired by Her Excellency Reem bint Ebrahim al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation. The committee, supported by various government organisations, is responsible for the national implementation of the SDGs, and for monitoring progress and stakeholder engagement, according to the report.
It further noted that the alignment of the UAE’s National Agenda 2021 with health-related SDGs underscores its commitment to health interventions and improving the healthcare system to ensure the well-being of its population. The integration of SDGs into various sectors, particularly healthcare, reflects the country’s holistic approach to sustainable development.
The report highlighted the UAE SDG Data Hub, a joint effort between Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre (FCSC) and United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA). Its main purpose is to monitor and record the country’s progress in achieving the SDGs.
With health being a crucial component of the SDGs agenda, the UAE’s achievements in maternal healthcare and its commitment to universal health coverage exemplify its dedication to ensuring “healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages,” as outlined in SDG3.
