Grand convergence: a future sustainable development goal?

January 15, 2014

The Lancet, Vol. 383, No. 9913, p187, 18 January 2014

On January 15, 2014 The Lancet published an editorial arguing for convergence as a health sector goal for the post-2015 era. The editorial argues that a grand convergence in health could be a compelling sustainable development goal (SDG) because it provides an opportunity for unity within the global health community. The journal also argues that convergence has other advantages: it is easily operationalized, it can be monitored, interim targets can be set, and the convergence goals are based on combined economic and health analysis. The case for grand convergence as an SDG will be made by five commissioners on January 16, at the United Nations, as well as by Lawrence Summers (chair of the Commission), Commissioner Linah Mohohlo and Bill Gates on January 24, at the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum at Davos.