Case report Montenegro

Montenegro is an upper-middle income country, with an estimated population of 620,739 (Eurostat, 2021). A national strategy for sustainable development until 2030 was adopted in July 2016, taking into account the implementation results of the Action Plan from the previous strategic document. Data for the period 2016-2021 are showing changes in a certain number of indicators, but also that Montenegro continued to face a large number of challenges (especially in No poverty and Gender equality goals), which became even more complex during the COVID-19 pandemic. Montenegro is reporting 69 out of 248 SDGs indicators. Indicators are not reported at all for 3 goals. Data similar to those required exist for some indicators, so a rough picture of trends in individual SDG goals can be obtained. For the remaining 14 goals, the median percentage of reported indicators is 31% (Range: 14%−58%). Some indicators are reported periodically, as part of research. Also, the UN methodology is not followed for all the reported indicators. For example, for the assessment of the first goal, 13 indicators were determined, and none of them are monitored by the UN methodology. However, since 2013, the Statistical Office of Montenegro has been calculating some indicators (based on the EU-SILC survey) that can be used for the same purpose. For SDG 3; Good health and well-being, there are improvements in certain segments: reduction in the infant mortality rate (2.8/1,000 from 2020) and mortality rate among children under 5 (3.7/1,000 from 2020) and reduction in the tuberculosis and malaria incidence. Numerous challenges are mainly reflected in the inequality of access and quality of health services, the high prevalence of current tobacco use among those over 15 years, and low air quality. Existing information system in healthcare is incomplete, fragmented and insufficiently interoperable to provide satisfactory data for monitoring the progress of indicators in this area.