BMJ  2004;328:777-778 (3 April), doi:10.1136/bmj.328.7443.777

Editorial

Is there hope for South Asia?

Yes, if we can replicate the models of Kerala and Sri Lanka

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

Two years turned the Indian subcontinent into South Asia. Between 14 August 1947 and 4 February 1948, India, Pakistan (its eastern part would later become Bangladesh), and Sri Lanka all gained independence from the British Empire. Amid the optimism of independence, the new states were comparable in population health and development indicators. Their progress since has been different.

This issue of the BMJ maps out the extent of the region's myriad difficulties. Non-communicable and communicable diseases ravage South Asia (see pp 781, 794, 807, 811). Tobacco and pharmaceutical industries are exploiting weak legislation to nurture new markets (pp 778, 780, 801). There is little pride in the progress of surgery (p 782), health research (p 826), or postgraduate education (p 779). Yet one challenge dwarfs all these: the desperate state of maternal and child health. Several articles . . . [Full text of this article]

Aga Khan University, Karachi 74800, Pakistan (zulfiqar.bhutta@aku.edu)

Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi 110016, India (snundy@hotmail.com)

BMJ, London WC1H 9JR (kabbasi@bmj.com)

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This article has been cited by other articles:

• Jayasinghe, S. A (2006). Where next for China? User fees increase China's health challenges.. BMJ 333: 499-500 [Full text]  
• Jayasinghe, S. (2005). Health in Africa: Let's learn from the success stories from other poor countries.... BMJ 331: 905-905 [Full text]  
• Singh, S. (2004). Social and economic justice: the road to health. CMAJ 171: 1021-1021 [Full text]  
• Nair, V M. (2004). Health in South Asia: Future of Kerala depends on its willingness to learn from past. BMJ 328: 1497-1497 [Full text]  
• Jayasinghe, S. (2004). Health in South Asia: Sri Lanka needs to build on its strengths and gains. BMJ 328: 1497-1497 [Full text]  

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