1. Building on successes: The future after 2015
Building on success: The future after 2915 MDGs
November 8, 2010
Building on successes: The future after 2015
Gopal Sankaran*, MD, DrPH
Interim Assistant Vice President for International Programs and
Professor of Public Health, West Chester University, PA
138th Annual Meeting of American Public Health Association
Denver, CO
November 8, 2010
Gopal Sankaran

2. Presenter Disclosures
Gopal Sankaran
The following personal financial relationships with commercial interests relevant to this presentation existed during the past 12 months:
“No relationships to disclose”
November 8, 2010
Gopal Sankaran

3. Session Objectives
Provide an overview of the current status of accomplishments of MDGS 1 through 8 .
Identify the challenges pertaining to MDG themes after 2015.
Explain why MDG 8 is critical for continuation of the successes accrued in all MDGs till 2015 and thereafter.
Specify strategies through which MDG 8 outcomes could be strengthened into the future.
Gopal Sankaran
November 8, 2010

4. The Millennium Development Goals (The Millennium Declaration, 2000)
MDG 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
MDG 2: Achieve universal primary education.
MDG 3: Promote gender equality and empower women
MDG 4: Reduce child mortality
MDG 5: Improve maternal health
MDG 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
MDG 7: Ensure environmental sustainability
MDG 8: Develop a global partnership for development
November 8, 2010
Gopal Sankaran

5. MDGs: Current status of accomplishments (WHO, 2010)
Three summary findings:
Progress made on any goal varies from region to region (and country to country).
Progress made on different targets varies within the same goal.
Progress made on all eight goals varies from goal to goal.
November 8, 2010
Gopal Sankaran

6. MDG with differences among regions (Millennium Development Goals: 2010 Progress Chart)
November 8, 2010
Gopal Sankaran

7. MDGs with differences among goals in different regions ((Millennium Development Goals: 2010 Progress Chart)
November 8, 2010
Gopal Sankaran

8. MDG-2: Some challenges to accomplishment (The MDG Report 2010, p. 18)
November 8, 2010
Gopal Sankaran

9. MDG-3: Some challenges to accomplishment (The MDG Report 2010, p. 21)
November 8, 2010
Gopal Sankaran

10. MDG-5: Some challenges to accomplishment (The MDG Report 2010, p. 35)
November 8, 2010
Gopal Sankaran

11. Challenges to accomplishing MDGs by 2015
“One shoe fits all” approach
Relative benchmarks too harsh on low resource nations
Often “donor centric” with considerable variability in availability of donor funds
Inadequate capacity building
Key factors such as gender equality and the empowerment of women have not kept up pace
External conditions: Food, economic, energy crises; natural disasters
November 8, 2010
Gopal Sankaran

12. Progress on MDG-8: Donors need to fulfill promises
The Millennium Development Goals Report 2010, p.67
November 8, 2010
Gopal Sankaran

13. Progress on MDG-8: Structural inequalities need to be removed
The Millennium Development Goals Report 2010, p. 72
November 8, 2010
Gopal Sankaran

14. Strategies for MDGs beyond 2015
Rethinking and fresh planning rather than mere extension of goals based on projections
Consider MDGs be collectively achieved than by individual nations
Country-specific absolute and relative benchmarks with well thought out time horizon
Capacity-building specific to each nation
MDGs made part of each nation’s development goals
MDGs need to be rethought in a human rights framework
November 8, 2010
Gopal Sankaran

15. Strategies for MDGs beyond 2015 (continued)
Address all types of gap (needs gap, delivery gap, and coverage gap) in terms of overseas development assistance
Tie in overseas development resources with internal resource capacity
Adjust trade policies and procedures to benefit low income nations
Build leadership as well as program implementation and evaluation capabilities
Do high income nations need to have their own MDGs?
November 8, 2010
Gopal Sankaran

16. (Foreword, The Millennium Development Goals Report 2010, p. 3)
The world is watching…
“Meeting the goals is everyone’s business. Falling
short would multiply the dangers of our world – from
instability to epidemic diseases to environmental
degradation. But achieving the goals will put us on
a fast track to a world that is more stable, more just,
and more secure.”
“Billions of people are looking to the international
community to realize the great vision embodied in the
Millennium Declaration. Let us keep that promise.”
--Ban Ki Moon, UN Secretary-General, 2010
(Foreword, The Millennium Development Goals Report 2010, p. 3)
November 8, 2010
Gopal Sankaran

17. Contact Information
Gopal Sankaran, MD, DrPH
Interim Assistant Vice President for International Programs and Professor of Public Health
Center for International Programs
310 McKelvie Hall
West Chester University
West Chester, PA 19383 P: F: E:
November 8, 2010
Gopal Sankaran