PROSPECTS AND CHALLENGES OF ACHIEVING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL THREE ON GOOD HEALTH AND WELL-BEING IN NIGERIA

Abstract

The desire to improve the lives of the people globally motivated the introduction of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This paper reviewed Nigeria's efforts towards achieving SDG on good health and well-being. A descriptive research design was used for the study. Secondary data sourced from review of journals, articles, books and reports from international organizations and national policy documents related to healthcare were used, while content analysis was adopted. Successive governments in Nigeria accorded top priority to provision of quality healthcare services and well-being of the citizens. However, their efforts were constrained by some challenges including dilapidated health infrastructure, poor budgetary allocations to the health sector and inability of the public sector alone to provide affordable and effective healthcare services. The study adopted Andersen and Newman’s healthcare Utilization model as a theoretical framework. Major findings indicated that Nigeria has a structure in place to ensure the smooth implementation of the SDG goal three. The paper concludes that, there is the urgent need to review and strengthen government institutions and ensure pragmatic approach to SDG goal three implementation. The paper recommended that, the Nigerian government should ensure provision of adequate funding to the health sector, motivate and guarantee good remuneration for health personnel, while health infrastructure and medical facilities should be upgraded on regular basis, as well as adoption of public-private partnership model in the health sector.