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Governors Public Health Alliance: A State-Level Initiative to Uphold Sustainable Development Goals Amid Federal Policy Shifts

Introduction: Upholding SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being)

On October 15, a coalition of 15 Democratic governors, representing over one-third of the U.S. population, established the Governors Public Health Alliance. This independent, state-level platform is designed to coordinate public health policy and safeguard progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being) in response to significant federal budget cuts and policy changes. The Alliance, which includes 14 states and the U.S. territory of Guam, will serve as a centralized hub for data sharing, emergency response, and the development of science-based health guidance.

Challenges to National Health Institutions and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions)

The formation of the Alliance is a direct response to actions perceived as weakening key national health institutions, a development that challenges the principles of SDG 16. These actions include:

• Budget Reductions: The proposed fiscal year 2026 budget includes a 53 percent reduction in funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) compared to 2024 levels, decreasing its budget from $9.2 billion to $4.3 billion.
• Program Elimination: Over 100 public health programs are slated for elimination, including initiatives for cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke prevention, as well as global HIV/AIDS prevention, directly impacting targets within SDG 3.
• Workforce Reductions: Federal health agencies face substantial staff cuts, undermining their institutional capacity.
  • The CDC has lost approximately 3,000 employees, representing one-quarter of its workforce.
  • The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) faces a total reduction of 20,000 employees.
  • The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is set to lose 3,500 positions.
  • The National Institutes of Health (NIH) will cut 1,200 employees.

Policy Divergence and Implications for SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities)

Recent federal policy changes have raised concerns regarding health equity, a core component of SDG 10. The Alliance seeks to provide an alternative, science-based approach to counteract policies that may exacerbate health disparities.

1. Restructuring of Advisory Bodies: The 17 expert members of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) were dismissed and replaced with 12 handpicked members, altering the established process for developing vaccine recommendations.
2. Changes to Vaccine Guidance: New guidance on COVID-19 vaccinations was issued without the traditional expert review process. It removes recommendations for pregnant women and healthy children and restricts routine vaccination to individuals aged 65 and older or those with specific health conditions, potentially increasing health inequalities.
3. Undermining Pandemic Preparedness: Funding for research into bird flu and mRNA vaccines, critical for future pandemic prevention and treatment of diseases like cancer and HIV, has been significantly reduced. This action compromises global health security, a key target of SDG 3.

Strategic Objectives and Contribution to the SDGs

The Governors Public Health Alliance will function as a nonpartisan coordinating hub to protect public health through several mechanisms that directly support the Sustainable Development Goals:

• Data Sharing and Communication: Facilitating real-time information exchange on health threats and disease outbreaks, supporting the monitoring and prevention targets of SDG 3.
• Emergency Preparedness and Response: Coordinating state responses to public health crises, which enhances community resilience in line with SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).
• Public Health Guidance and Policy: Developing science-based recommendations to ensure continued progress on health outcomes when federal guidance is inconsistent, thereby upholding SDG 3.
• Global Health Coordination: Acting as a unified liaison with the global health community, embodying the principles of SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
• Resource Deployment: Sharing best practices and policy toolkits among member states to implement effective public health protections, further strengthening partnerships as outlined in SDG 17.

Advisory Leadership and Institutional Capacity

The Alliance is advised by a panel of distinguished public health experts, ensuring its actions are guided by deep experience in domestic and global health. This leadership structure reinforces the Alliance’s commitment to building a strong, credible institution (SDG 16) capable of fostering effective partnerships (SDG 17).

• Dr. Mandy Cohen: Former CDC Director (2023-2025).
• Dr. Anne Zink: Former Chief Medical Officer for Alaska (2018-2024).
• Dr. Raj Panjabi: Former White House Senior Director for Global Health Security and Biodefense (2021-2023).
• Ambassador Nina Hachigian: Former U.S. Special Representative for City and State Diplomacy.

Identified Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

• The article’s central theme is public health. It discusses the formation of the Governors Public Health Alliance to address threats to public health systems, disease prevention, and access to reliable health information and vaccines. The text explicitly mentions the elimination of federal programs for “cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke prevention programs,” as well as “global HIV/AIDS prevention initiatives” and research funding for “bird flu and mRNA vaccine,” all of which are core components of SDG 3.

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

• The article details the weakening of key federal health institutions like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through “unprecedented budget cuts, staff reductions, and controversial policy changes.” The creation of the Governors Public Health Alliance is a direct response to build a new, effective state-level institutional platform to ensure public health is protected when federal institutions are compromised.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

• The formation of the “Governors Public Health Alliance” by a “coalition of 15 Democratic governors” is a clear example of a multi-stakeholder partnership. The alliance is designed to “coordinate public health policy,” “share data,” and serve as a “centralized hub” for states to work together to achieve common health goals, embodying the collaborative spirit of SDG 17.

Specific SDG Targets Identified

Targets under SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

• Target 3.3: By 2030, end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical diseases and combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases and other communicable diseases.
  • This target is relevant because the article states that the proposed federal budget would eliminate “global HIV/AIDS prevention initiatives.” It also mentions a recent “measles outbreak” and cuts to “bird flu and mRNA vaccine research,” which are critical for preventing and combating communicable diseases and future pandemics.
• Target 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being.
  • The article directly connects to this target by reporting that the federal budget cuts would eliminate “over 100 public health programs,” specifically including “cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke prevention programs.”
• Target 3.d: Strengthen the capacity of all countries, in particular developing countries, for early warning, risk reduction and management of national and global health risks.
  • The alliance’s stated purpose includes “Data Sharing and Communication” for “health threat detection” and “Emergency Preparedness and Response” to coordinate during public health crises. This is a direct effort to strengthen risk management capacity at the state level, in response to the weakening of federal capacity due to massive staff and budget cuts at the CDC.

Targets under SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

• Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels.
  • The article highlights a perceived decline in the effectiveness and accountability of federal health agencies. It cites the CDC losing “roughly one-quarter of its workforce” and facing a “53 percent” budget slash. The dismissal of the expert “Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices” and replacement with “handpicked members” further undermines the institution’s transparency and accountability. The new state-level alliance is an attempt to create an alternative effective institution.

Targets under SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

• Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships.
  • The “Governors Public Health Alliance” is a public-public partnership formed by 15 states and one territory. Its goal is to act as a “centralized hub” to “share data, coordinate emergency responses, align vaccine recommendations, and develop health guidance,” which is a direct implementation of a partnership to achieve shared objectives.

Indicators for Measuring Progress

Implied Indicators for SDG 3

• Funding for disease prevention programs: The article provides specific negative indicators, such as the proposed “53 percent” cut to CDC funding and the complete elimination of funding for programs targeting HIV/AIDS, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.
• Public health workforce capacity: The article mentions the loss of approximately “3,000 employees” at the CDC and a total reduction of “20,000 employees” at HHS, which can be used as indicators of declining institutional capacity for health risk management.
• Vaccination coverage and guidance: The unilateral changes to COVID-19 vaccine guidance, which removed recommendations for “pregnant women and healthy children,” and the spread of “contradictory information about the measles vaccine” serve as qualitative indicators of challenges in maintaining universal access to and trust in vaccines.

Implied Indicators for SDG 16

• Public expenditure on essential services: The reduction of the CDC’s budget from “$9.2 billion to $4.3 billion” is a direct quantitative indicator of a weakened public institution.
• Independence and expertise of decision-making bodies: The dismissal of all “17 members of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices” and their replacement with “12 handpicked members” who share a specific skepticism is a clear indicator of a shift away from independent, expert-led, and participatory decision-making.

Implied Indicators for SDG 17

• Number and scope of multi-stakeholder partnerships: The creation of the “Governors Public Health Alliance,” which includes 15 states and one territory representing “roughly 120 million Americans,” is a primary indicator of a new, large-scale public partnership being formed to address sustainable development challenges.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Analysis

Source: mahometdaily.com