Report on the “Let’s Grow Together” Public Health Initiative and its Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

1.0 Executive Summary

On August 1, 2025, the City of San Antonio Metropolitan Health District (Metro Health) initiated the “Let’s Grow Together” campaign. This report analyzes the campaign’s structure, objectives, and strategic alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The initiative is a community-focused effort to enhance maternal, infant, child, and adolescent health by promoting access to essential programs and resources. It represents a significant local contribution to global health and development targets, particularly SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being).

2.0 Campaign Objectives and Strategic Focus

The primary objective of the “Let’s Grow Together” campaign is to foster a healthy community by focusing on the foundational stages of life. This aligns with the Metro Health vision of “healthy people thriving in a healthy community.”

• Primary Focus Areas: Maternal, infant, child, and adolescent health.
• Key Activities: A series of community outreach events, distribution of educational resources, and a public awareness campaign.
• Strategic Timing: The launch coincides with National Immunization Awareness Month and National Breastfeeding Awareness Month, leveraging national observances to maximize impact and reinforce key health messages.

3.0 Direct Contributions to SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

The campaign’s core mission is fundamentally aligned with SDG 3, which aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. The initiative addresses several specific SDG 3 targets:

1. Target 3.1 (Maternal Mortality): By providing pregnant women with access to information and care, the campaign works to improve maternal health outcomes.
2. Target 3.2 (End Preventable Deaths of Newborns and Children): A focus on infant and child health, including the promotion of breastfeeding and timely immunizations, directly contributes to reducing child mortality.
3. Target 3.3 (End Epidemics of Communicable Diseases): The campaign’s emphasis on National Immunization Awareness Month supports the goal of preventing disease through vaccination.
4. Target 3.8 (Achieve Universal Health Coverage): The initiative seeks to improve access to quality essential health-care services for families, a cornerstone of universal health coverage.

4.0 Integration with Other Sustainable Development Goals

Beyond its primary health focus, the “Let’s Grow Together” campaign integrates strategies that support a broader range of SDGs, demonstrating a holistic approach to community development.

4.1 SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

Metro Health aims to build an “equity-centered maternal and family public health system.” This commitment directly addresses SDG 10 by working to ensure that all families, regardless of background, have equal access to health resources and opportunities, thereby reducing health disparities within the community.

4.2 SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

The campaign exemplifies the collaborative approach advocated by SDG 17. Its implementation relies on strategic partnerships to build essential public health infrastructure. Key partners include:

• Health and Human Services
• Neighborhood and Housing Services
• Parks and Recreation
• San Antonio Public Library
• Trusted community partner organizations

4.3 SDG 2, 5, and 11

• SDG 2 (Zero Hunger): By promoting breastfeeding during National Breastfeeding Awareness Month, the campaign supports Target 2.2, which aims to end all forms of malnutrition.
• SDG 5 (Gender Equality): Supporting maternal health and breastfeeding empowers women, contributing to their well-being and autonomy.
• SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities): The initiative strengthens the community’s social fabric and public health infrastructure, making San Antonio a more inclusive and healthy city.

5.0 Resources and Implementation

The campaign’s implementation is managed through a coordinated effort to connect families with a wide range of programs and services. A comprehensive list of educational materials and a schedule of events are available to the public at SA.gov/Health.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Addressed in the Article

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: The article’s central theme is a public health campaign focused on improving maternal, infant, child, and adolescent health through awareness, resources, and preventative care like immunizations and breastfeeding.
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities: The initiative explicitly aims to create an “equity-centered maternal and family public health system,” directly addressing health disparities and ensuring inclusive access to care for all families.
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: The article highlights a multi-stakeholder approach, detailing collaboration between Metro Health, other city departments, and “trusted community partners” to achieve public health objectives.

Specific SDG Targets Identified

1. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

   • Target 3.1: By 2030, reduce the global maternal mortality ratio…
     The campaign’s focus on “maternal…health” and providing “programs and resources available to support pregnant women” directly contributes to improving maternal health outcomes and reducing mortality.
   • Target 3.2: By 2030, end preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age…
     This target is addressed through the campaign’s focus on “infant, [and] child…health,” specifically by promoting “timely vaccinations” and “breastfeeding support,” which are critical for reducing infant and child mortality.
   • Target 3.8: Achieve universal health coverage, including…access to quality essential health-care services and access to…vaccines for all.
     The initiative supports this target by “promoting access to care,” connecting families with services, and emphasizing “timely vaccinations” through its alignment with National Immunization Awareness Month. The goal of an “equity-centered” system reinforces the “for all” aspect of this target.

2. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

   • Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all…
     The article addresses this by stating a clear goal to “build an equity-centered maternal and family public health system,” which aims to reduce health disparities and ensure all families, regardless of their background, have access to the care and resources they need.

3. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

   • Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships…
     The article provides a direct example of this target in action by describing how “Metro Health will partner with other City departments…and trusted community partners” to implement the campaign and “connect families with a wide range of programs and services.”

Implied Indicators for Measuring Progress

• Maternal and Child Health Trends: The article mentions “providing locally relevant information about ongoing maternal and child health trends.” This implies the use of indicators such as the maternal mortality ratio, neonatal mortality rate, and under-5 mortality rate to track the campaign’s impact.
• Vaccination Coverage: The campaign’s alignment with “National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM)” and its emphasis on “timely vaccinations” point to vaccination coverage rates as a key indicator for measuring progress towards Target 3.8.
• Breastfeeding Rates: The focus on “National Breastfeeding Awareness Month (NBAM)” and providing “breastfeeding support” implies that the proportion of infants exclusively breastfed would be a relevant indicator to measure success in improving infant health.

Summary of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: sa.gov