Ten years in public health 2007-2017

Ten Years in Public Health 2007-2017 chronicles the evolution of global public health over thedecade that Margaret Chan served as Director-General at the World HealthOrganization. This series of chapters evaluatessuccesses, setbacks, and enduring challenges during the decade. They show whatneeds to be done when progress stalls or new threats emerge. The chapters showhow WHO technical leadership can get multiple partners working together intandem under coherent strategies. The importance of country leadership andcommunity engagement is stressed repeatedly throughout the chapters. Together we have made tremendous progress.Health and life expectancy have improved nearly everywhere. Millions of liveshave been saved. The number of people dying from malaria and HIV has been cutin half. WHO efforts to stop TB saved 49 million lives since the start of thiscentury. In 2015, the number of child deaths dropped below 6 million for the firsttime, a 50% decrease in annual deaths since 1990. Every day 19,000 fewerchildren die. We are able to count these numbers because of the culture ofmeasurement and accountability instilled in WHO. These chapters tell a powerful story ofglobal challenges and how they have been overcome. In a world facingconsiderable uncertainty, international health development is a unifying anduplifting force for the good of humanity.