The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development covers 17 goals, the third of which is “good health and well-being”, namely: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being at all ages. (Click here for details)

Under this major goal, there are 13 targets, the fifth of which is “Strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse and harmful use of alcohol.”

● Current Situation

Substance abuse, including narcotic drug, alcohol, psychotropic drug, volatile organic solvent，tobacco, etc., may lead to addiction, other behavioral disorders and serious public health and social problems.

About the World

Harmful Use of Alcohol Jeopardizes Life

Harmful use of alcohol has adverse impacts on public health.  More than 3 million people died as a result of harmful use of alcohol in 2016. This represents 1 in 20 deaths. More than three quarters of these deaths were among men. Overall, the harmful use of alcohol causes more than 5% of the global disease burden.

Text and photo source: WHO website 

About China

China’s Antibiotics Sales and Consumption Rank First

China is the world's largest producer and user of antibiotics. It has an annual output of 210,000 tons of antibiotic raw materials, with an annual per capita consumption of 138 grams of antibiotics, which is more than 10 times of the per capita consumption in the United States. Recent statistics show that the comprehensive uses of antibiotics in hospitals in China has reached more than 70%, which is much higher than 30%, i.e. the in-hospital use ratio recommended by the World Health Organization. The proportion of antibiotic expending in overall medicine cost even reaches 40%.

Text source: people.com.cn

Among the antibiotics users, the vast majority are actually antibiotic abusers. Only less than 20% of the patients really need antibiotics. These data show that China has become one of the countries with the most serious antibiotic abuse in the world.

Text source: ruiwen.com 

●  Cases

About the World

WHO Global Strategy to Reduce Harmful Use of Alcohol

The WHO global strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol seeks to improve the health and social outcomes for individuals, families and communities, with considerably reduced morbidity and mortality due to harmful use of alcohol and their ensuing social consequences. It is envisaged that the global strategy will promote and support local, regional and global actions to prevent and reduce the harmful use of alcohol. 

The global strategy focuses on ten key areas of policy options and interventions at the national level. The ten areas for national action are:

1. Leadership, awareness and commitment.

2. Health services' response.

3. Community action.

4. Drink-driving policies and countermeasures.

5. Availability of alcohol.

6. Marketing of alcoholic beverages.

7. Pricing policies.

8. Reducing the negative consequences of drinking and alcohol intoxication.

9. Reducing the public health impact of illicit alcohol and informally produced alcohol.

10. Monitoring and surveillance.

Text and photo: source: WHO website  

About China

Local Policy Demonstrates Substance Abuse Regulation

Photo source: WHO website 

Shenzhen is the forefront of medical reform in China. It has taken methods to strengthen the supervision of substance abuse. As early as in 2011, Shenzhen Municipal Commission of Health, Population and Family Planning stipulated that the use of antibiotics in medical institutions should not exceed 20% of the overall cost of medicines. In March 2016, the Shenzhen Municipal Administrative Measures on Scoring Physician's Inappropriate Practice (Trial) made clear provisions to strictly regulate the excessive antibiotic use that may occur in the process of a physician's practice.

Text source: sznews.com 

Background

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Initiated by the United Nations

On January 1, 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including 169 targets, of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development — adopted by world leaders in September 2015 at an historic UN Summit — officially came into force. Countries will mobilize efforts to end all forms of poverty, fight inequalities and tackle climate change, while ensuring that no one is left behind.