Message from the Director-General Limits exist on what governments can finance and on their capacity to deliver services and to regulate the private sector. Hence the need for public policies that recog- nize these limits. Governments should retain responsibility for setting broad policy di- rections, for creating an appropriate regulatory environment, and for finance. At the same time they should seek both to diversify the sources of service provision and to select interventions that, for the resources each country chooses to commit, will provide the maximum gains in health levels and their most equitable distribution. At an interna tional level we need, collectively, to improve our capacity for humanitarian assistance and for responding to complex emergencies, when national health systems cannot cope Finally, there is a need to invest in expanding the knowledge base that made the 20th century revolution in health possible, and that will provide the tools for continued gains in the 21st century. Governments of high income countries and large, research-oriented phar maceutical companies now invest -and will continue to invest -massive resources in Much of this investment benefits all humanity, but at least two critical gaps re- main. One concerns research and development relevant to the infectious diseases that overwhelmingly afflict the poor. The other concerns the systematic generation of an information base that countries can use in shaping the future of their own health systems. A CORPORATE STRATEGY FOR WHO The challenges outlined above constitute an agenda for the world community as a whole governments and development agencies alike. Even as the lead agency in health, we have to recognize that the agenda is too broad for WHO alone. We therefore have to be realistic, and start to define how WHO can contribute most effectively to this agenda in coming years e intend that four interconnected strategic themes should guide the work of the whole Organization. The first two concern where we focus our efforts. The second two concern how we work. These are the themes that must guide our work we need to be more focused in outcomes; we need to be more effective in supporting health systems development re need to be more impact-oriented in our work with countries; we need to be more innovative in creating influential partnershi IMPROVING HEALTH OUTCOMES This theme runs through everything we do. Our first priority must be to reduce-then inate -the debilitating excess burden of disease among the poor. I am particularly concerned that we focus on health interventions that will help lead populations out of poverty. Let me highlight some key priorities as they are defined in the Proposed Budget 2000-2001 We are committed to reducing the burden of sickness and suffering resulting from com municable diseases. Roll Back Malaria is central to this approach. But we will also con tribute as effectively as possible to combating the global epidemics of HIVAIdS and tuberculosis, and to completing the eradication of poliomyelitis We need to step up our ability to deal with the rising toll of noncommunicable diseases pecial attention will be given to cancer and cardiovascular diseases. The Tobacco FreeMessage from the Director-General xi Limits exist on what governments can finance and on their capacity to deliver services and to regulate the private sector. Hence the need for public policies that recog￾nize these limits. Governments should retain responsibility for setting broad policy di￾rections, for creating an appropriate regulatory environment, and for finance. At the same time they should seek both to diversify the sources of service provision and to select interventions that, for the resources each country chooses to commit, will provide the maximum gains in health levels and their most equitable distribution. At an interna￾tional level we need, collectively, to improve our capacity for humanitarian assistance and for responding to complex emergencies, when national health systems cannot cope. • Finally, there is a need to invest in expanding the knowledge base that made the 20th century revolution in health possible, and that will provide the tools for continued gains in the 21st century. Governments of high income countries and large, research-oriented phar￾maceutical companies now invest – and will continue to invest – massive resources in research and development oriented to the needs of the more affluent. Much of this investment benefits all humanity, but at least two critical gaps re￾main. One concerns research and development relevant to the infectious diseases that overwhelmingly afflict the poor. The other concerns the systematic generation of an information base that countries can use in shaping the future of their own health systems. A CORPORATE STRATEGY FOR WHO The challenges outlined above constitute an agenda for the world community as a whole: for governments and development agencies alike. Even as the lead agency in health, we have to recognize that the agenda is too broad for WHO alone. We therefore have to be realistic, and start to define how WHO can contribute most effectively to this agenda in coming years. We intend that four interconnected strategic themes should guide the work of the whole Organization. The first two concern where we focus our efforts. The second two concern how we work. These are the themes that must guide our work: • we need to be more focused in improving health outcomes; • we need to be more effective in supporting health systems development; • we need to be more impact-oriented in our work with countries; • we need to be more innovative in creating influential partnerships. IMPROVING HEALTH OUTCOMES This theme runs through everything we do. Our first priority must be to reduce – then eliminate – the debilitating excess burden of disease among the poor. I am particularly concerned that we focus on health interventions that will help lead populations out of poverty. Let me highlight some key priorities as they are defined in the Proposed Budget 2000-2001. • We are committed to reducing the burden of sickness and suffering resulting from com￾municable diseases. Roll Back Malaria is central to this approach. But we will also con￾tribute as effectively as possible to combating the global epidemics of HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, and to completing the eradication of poliomyelitis. • We need to step up our ability to deal with the rising toll of noncommunicable diseases. Special attention will be given to cancer and cardiovascular diseases. The Tobacco Free