WHO's World Health Report 2003

doi:10.1136/bmj.328.7430.6

BMJ 2004;328:6 (3 January), doi:10.1136/bmj.328.7430.6

Editorial

WHO's World Health Report 2003

Shaping the future depends on strengthening health systems

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

The overall message of this year's World Health Report, "Shapingthe future," from the World Health Organization is clear. Strengthenhealth systems, otherwise there will be no progress in meetinga vast and growing array of health inequalities. Furthermore,the report says firmly that strengthened health systems mustbe based on primary health care. "Shaping the future" is actuallyabout going back to basics.

Justice is seen as both a moral imperative and an aspect ofwise security. The message of the new director general, Dr LeeJong-wook contrasts the injustice of parts of the world wherethere are expectations of longer and more comfortable lives,with other parts where there is despair over the failure tocontrol disease, even though the means to do so exist. A childin Japan can not only expect to get reasonable access to healthcare throughout her life, but also to receive . . . [Full text of this article]

Gill Walt, professor of international health policy

London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT

CiteULike

Complore

Connotea

Del.icio.us Add to Digg

Digg

StumbleUpon Add to Technorati

Technorati What's this?

Relevant Articles

WHO's world health report 2003: Actions speak louder than words: Vireshwar K Singh
BMJ 2004 328: 287-288. [Extract] [Full Text]

WHO's world health report 2003: Time to ease the mental health burden: A W Amarasinghe
BMJ 2004 328: 288. [Extract] [Full Text]

WHO report says AIDS offers healthcare opportunity: Fiona Fleck
BMJ 2004 328: 10. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

This article has been cited by other articles:

Materia, E., Baglio, G. (2005). Health, science, and complexity. J. Epidemiol. Community Health 59: 534-535 [Full text]
Amarasinghe, A W (2004). WHO's world health report 2003: Time to ease the mental health burden. BMJ 328: 288-288 [Full text]
Singh, V. K (2004). WHO's world health report 2003: Actions speak louder than words. BMJ 328: 287-288 [Full text]

Rapid Responses:

Read all Rapid Responses

2003 World Health Report: Jeff D. Chapman
bmj.com, 2 Jan 2004 [Full text]
Professor: Christopher M. G. Buttery
bmj.com, 2 Jan 2004 [Full text]
Core Groups will lead the way: Eugene Sherry
bmj.com, 3 Jan 2004 [Full text]
world Health Report 2003- Beyond Rhetoric & Slogans: vireshwar k singh
bmj.com, 5 Jan 2004 [Full text]
EASING THE MENTAL HEALTH BURDEN: A.A.W. AMARASINGHE
bmj.com, 5 Jan 2004 [Full text]
Responsiveness is absent in World Health Report 2003: Reiner Banken
bmj.com, 6 Jan 2004 [Full text]