Goal 3: Good health and wellbeing

Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.

Working in partnership both locally and globally, we are tackling each of the UN Sustainable Development Goals through our research and knowledge exchange, education and student experience, and through our operations. Discover how our unique commitments align with and support Sustainable Development Goal 3: Good Health and Wellbeing.

Research and impact

The University advances SDG 3 through innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and inclusive community outreach. The Civic Health Innovation Labs (CHIL) bring together researchers, civic stakeholders, and clinicians to develop AI-powered health interventions for infectious and chronic disease, strengthening universal health coverage (3.8). The Pandemic Institute, part of the Liverpool City Region Life Sciences Innovation Zone, accelerates diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccine scale-up to combat global health threats (3.3). Internationally, Liverpool scientists led the MIRACLE-AF telemedicine trial in East China, which reduced strokes and major cardiac events among more than 1,000 rural elderly patients (3.4). In the UK, the Better Medicines report, produced with Manchester Met and UCL, gathered public and professional insights to improve inclusivity in clinical research and equitable access to medicines (3.8). Meanwhile, the C-GULL cohort study, tracking 10,000 children in the Liverpool City Region, is generating evidence to address child and maternal health inequalities (3.2, 3.8).

Education and student experience

The University equips students with the support, education, and experiences they need to live healthy lives and contribute to local and global health equity, in direct support of SDG 3. Student wellbeing is prioritised through a comprehensive infrastructure, including the Wellbeing Advice and Guidance Team, Mental Health Advisory Service, and a confidential Counselling Service offering evidence-based therapies. Provision is inclusive and tailored to diverse student needs, including LGBTQ+ and neurodivergent communities (3.4). The newly opened ADHD Garden provides a calming, low-stimulation space that promotes self-regulation and supports neurodiverse wellbeing (3.4). Throughout the year, the University and Guild of Students deliver campaigns such as Mental Health Awareness Week and Give It a Go, promoting wellbeing literacy and reducing stigma (3.5). Academic programmes such as the MPH Public Health, MSc Clinical and Health Pyschology, and MSc Planetary and One Health align with (3.3), (3.8) and (3.D). Modules including Law and Global Health, Living with Environmental Change, and Veterinary Epidemiology and Public Health enable students to critically engage with health systems, equity, and resilience. Widening access initiatives, including the Merseyside Young Health and Life Scientists Programme, encourage students from underrepresented groups to pursue health and life science careers, contributing to the future health workforce (3.C).

Sustainable campus and operations

The University supports SDG 3 by embedding health and wellbeing into its services, infrastructure, and partnerships. Our Wellbeing Map helps students and staff find spaces to be active, connect with others, relax in nature, and access support (3.4). Sport Liverpool provides affordable facilities for the university community and wider public, enhancing physical and mental health (3.4, 3.5). Green spaces such as Ness Botanical Gardens, the library garden, and the ADHD-friendly garden promote rest and sensory regulation (3.4). Staff wellbeing is supported through the Employee Assistance Programme, confidential counselling, occupational health services, and Mental Health First Aid training (3.4, 3.5). In partnership with Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, the University delivers the U-COPE self-harm service and a Student Liaison Service to provide timely pathways to NHS mental health care (3.4, 3.8, 3.D). The Student Health Centre offers GP and nursing care, sexual health services, chronic condition management, and vaccinations (3.8, 3.D). Looking forward, the Academic Health Sciences Campus will integrate clinical teaching, research, and patient care in collaboration with NHS partners, strengthening regional health capacity (3.8, 3.D).

Case Studies

Ending mother-to-child Hepatitis B transmission in Africa

University of Liverpool researchers are leading efforts to eliminate vertical transmission of hepatitis B in Africa through targeted, evidence-based interventions. A landmark Lancet Global Health meta-analysis of 113 studies and 190,000 women identified timely hepatitis B birth dose vaccination (HepB-BD) and maternal antiviral prophylaxis as strategies with transformative potential. With 63% of new global hepatitis B infections occurring in Africa, these interventions directly advance SDG targets (3.2), (3.3) and (3.8).

Led by Dr Alexander Stockdale (University of Liverpool) and Dr Nicholas Riches (Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine), the study found that scaling up HepB-BD to 90% coverage could reduce vertical transmission by 44%, while combining it with antiviral prophylaxis for 90% of eligible women could reduce transmission by 86%, meeting WHO elimination targets. The findings informed WHO’s updated 2024 hepatitis B guidelines.

Building on this evidence, Dr Stockdale is leading a £3 million NIHR Global Health Research project in Malawi and The Gambia, working with the Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Trust and MRC Unit The Gambia. The trial will assess the feasibility, safety, and cost-effectiveness of providing tenofovir to all pregnant women with hepatitis B. By embedding research within health systems and working closely with ministries of health and WHO, the project ensures results are policy-relevant, scalable, and capable of preventing hundreds of thousands of infections and deaths across Africa.