Tuberculosis (TB) continues to be an important global health problem despite significant progress since the declaration of TB as a global public health emergency by the World Health Organization in 1993. In the Region of the Americas, great progress has been made since the implementation of the Directly Observed Treatment Short Course (DOTS) Strategy in the 1990?s, and later by its successor Stop TB Strategy in 2006. However, despite progress toward TB control in the Region, challenges remain.

The Region of the Americas, together with the rest of the world, is preparing to face the major challenges presented by the post-2015 sustainable development agenda, whose 17 objectives include health and well-being, the reduction of inequity, and action on a wide range of social and environmental determinants of health.

This special issue of the Pan American Journal of Public Health on women’s health aims to identify and reflect on the main challenges that demographic, social, and epidemiological changes will pose to women’s health in the Region of the Americas in the coming years.

Collecting and applying the evidence is the first step toward increasing coverage of eye health services; minimizing barriers; and reducing the eye health-related disease burden, dependency and disparity. Monitoring epidemiological trends in eye disease, evaluating eye care services, and reporting the results help provide evidence of each country’s progress in implementing the Plan and guide service and resource allocation. The Pan American Journal of Public Health Series on Eye Health reports recent data on eye health obtained in the Region of the Americas.

FROM THE DIRECTOR
eHealth: Harnessing technology on the road towards universal health coverage

Carissa F. Etienne

EDITORIAL

eHealth initiatives to transform health in the Region of the Americas

Marcelo D’Agostino, Najeeb Al-Shorbaji, Patricia Abbott, Theresa Bernardo, Kendall Ho, Chaitali Sinha, and David Novillo-Ortiz

REFLEXIONES DE LA DIRECTORA / FROM THE DIRECTOR

Social determinants of health in the Americas 

Determinantes sociales de la salud en las Américas 

Carissa F. Etienne

EDITORIALES / EDITORIALS