Statistics alone do not tell us why mortality or coverage rates are rising or falling, nor suggest which policy responses are appropriate. Chapters 2-7 of this report look beyond the target-by-target information and attempt to identify trends, successes, and failures which are currently affecting the health sector as a whole. Some of the challenges are fundamental, and characteristic of poverty and lack of development in general, although many are specific to health. WHO believes that only by addressing these broad, sector-wide challenges can we make progress in all areas of health, and ensure that in the future the MDG health statistics will present a more promising picture. .
