Challenges in advancing public health [editorial]

The deadly infectious diseases and the growing prevalence of non-communicable diseases are increasingly challenging the health of the population in developing countries; a two-edge sword killing millions of people. Many of the deaths are occurring among the young and productive segment of the population; and many of the diseases are preventable with timely and appropriate interventions. Many initiatives have been put on the public health agenda without much success in the last two-three decades in an effort to change the tragic situations in developing countries. Many targets were set but many passed without being achieved particularly in the sub-Saharan Africa. There are many reasons for the failures in advancing public health in this part of the world; lack of strong public health leadership weak integration of science and inadequate human resource are among the major problems. These and other factors remarkably compromised the quality of health services which are also often inaccessible to the large segment of the population. (excerpt)