Organ transplantation has become an effective means of restoring health and saving lives, but a number of difficulties remain to be overcome. Especially in developing countries, greater clarity is needed on the sociocultural, economic, ethical, legal and technical factors involved.
Systematic immunization on a worldwide scale was not officially recognized as a practical possibility until 1974, when WHO launched its Expanded Programme on Immunization. Today, 80% of the world's children receive this form of protection against childhood diseases during their first year of life. Coverage can reach 90% by the year 2000, the effectiveness of the vaccines used is improving, and vaccines against additional diseases are being added to the programme.
In 1990 a community-based programme of onchocerciasis control, involving the use of ivermectin, was introduced in Uganda. The problems confronting it are discussed and suggestions are made for making it sustainable.
The significance of numerical information for decision-making usually has to be assessed on the basis of knowledge that does not readily lend itself to quantification. Computational logic can help to handle the complexity of this process of interpretation without sacrificing the necessary rigour. When this approach is used, health indicators are expressed in the form of a "knowledge map".
Changes in the world order and in technology during the last half-century have revolutionized approaches to blindness prevention and sight restoration. Although the possibilities have improved and increased immeasurably, unnecessary blindness will remain common, especially among the poor, unless a concerted international effort is made to prevent it.
The Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences in Andhra Pradesh can claim to have achieved the impossible--namely, the provision of high-tech medical services completely free of charge. Adherence to the five human values (truth, righteousness, peace, love and non-violence) and complete dedication to serve people without self-interest are the key elements for this success. This example may serve as a model for creating similar hospitals in the service of mankind.
A seminal report produced in Canada during 1974 has helped to diminish the dominance of the medical model for health systems.
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