Sustainability from a Christian Perspective

Doug Fountain

CCIH

June 17, 2016

For the record:

Sustainability in your marriage is forgetting to bring a tie and knowing better than to NOT beg your wife to send one to you by Fed Ex.

So this is proof that I do, in fact, own a tie.

This is what the Lord Almighty said: “Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one

another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor.”

Zechariah 7:8-10

To whom does this apply:

Past peoples?

Our current generation?

The future?

Imagine you all spent the next 10 minutes talking to each other about sustainability

rather than listening to me.

Faith Based Organizations are more sustainable because they outlast many

governments and donor-driven programs.

I plan for sustainability in my grants, by promising to find local money after the grant

is over.

God gives us the inspiration and the resources. God sustains us.

Define sustainability

Sustainable development: meeting needs of people today without compromising the

ability of people to meet their own needs in the future.

Define sustainability in health

Delivering high quality care and improved public health

Improving lives, for generations to come

Personal commitment to promote health

I would add: Partnering locally and supporting initiatives that by definition outlast partner

involvement.

UN Sustainable Development Goals

• 17 goals

• 169 targets

• 300+ indicators

• Intended to draw focus and coalesce action

• Criticisms: “Not enough Health” or “Not enough FBO reference” or “They don’t affirm values such as compassion, love, generosity, sacrifice.”

Certainly Complex!

Good Health and Well Being

• Maternal mortality

• Newborn/<5 mortality

• AIDS, TB, malaria, NTDs

• Non-communicable diseases

• Substance abuse

• Road traffic accidents

• Reproductive health

• Universal coverage, access

• Hazardous chemicals

• Tobacco Control

• R&D Vaccines/Medicines

• Health workforce dev’t

• Risk reduction

Health “Related” SDGs

Zero hunger

Clean water and sanitation

Sustainable cities and communities

Peace, justice and strong institutions

Partnerships for the goals

2

6

11

16

17

We should be familiar with the SDGs, and reflect them in our plans and goals.

But will that make our work together “sustainable”?

What makes us think something is sustainable?

We believe in our hearts

We can measure it

We can see the effects of it

We have faith - God called us to it

The challenge is – sometimes our work looks like this:

Go it alone strategies

One off strategies

Externally imposed strategies

Experimental approaches that can’t be tested

Technologies that work in the USA

Gap filling

What threatens sustainability?

Disaster

Distraction

Diversion

Dereliction

Dependence

World Economic Forum:Sustainable Health Systems

Anticipate more empowered patients, diverse delivery models, new stakeholders. We will confront tough questions like:

• Will individuals share population health risks?

• Where will authority be located: national, supranational, local?

• Will innovation come from within or outside the system?

• Will people accept active influence over individual lifestyles?

• Will healthy living be a minority choice, a civic duty or an aspiration?

http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_SustainableHealthSystems_Report_2013.pdf

Attributes of an aligned and sustainable health approach

• Data driven – “accountable to best practices”

• Build local ownership and influence

• Promote behavior change –empowered to enact improvements in one’s own health

• Integrate education, research and service• Professional education

• General education

Health System Strengthening

Community-Based

Prevention and Care

What do we add as Christians?

Dignity

Ethics

Compassion

Holistic

Transformation

Stewardship

This, on top of what we receive because of our faith: divine guidance and the never ending opportunity for

healing and renewal

What do we add as Christians?

A narrative – a fundamental story line, an epic plotthat makes sense out of our journey together.

Through Christ, we offer hope and grace for a world that is hurting.

And that, I think, is sustainable health.