Reducing the burden of disease suffered by poor people is not just a call to governments. To make real inroads into absolute poverty will mean harnessing the energies and resources of the private sector and civil society as well. Need for targets We also need to be clear about what the world should be aiming to achieve and the resources needed to achieve our goals. We believe there is a good case for negotiating a limited number of national and international targets as a means of mobilising resources, concentrating international attention on the most important problems, and ensuring proper monitoring of progress and achievement. Second, there is a need to counter potential threats to health.
Tobacco addiction is one of the most important.
But there are many others. Addressing the broader determinants of ill health provides a focus for working beyond the boundaries of the traditional health sector a part of the development agenda that has been neglected for far too long. Pursuing more healthy national and international public policies is a particular challenge to the international community not just in terms of what needs to be done, but also how. Concerted action across governments to achieve human development objectives is still a very elusive goal in many parts of the world. Thirdly, there is a need to develop more effective health systems.