The gathering brought together an unusually distinguished group of speakers and panelists. The particular mix of government, agency and academic speakers was in itself uncommon, as was the openness of the Symposium's atmosphere and discussions. The keynote address was given by the Federal Minister of Health of Nigeria, Dr 0. Ransome-Kuti. In his talk, the Minister considered a number of the important issues facing developing countries in their efforts to create health systems appropriate to achieving the goal of Health For All. Among the issues touched upon in the keynote address were: the roles and attitudes of health workers in relation to the development of primary health care systems; strengthening of district and other local level planning efforts; the balance between the basic health care infrastructure and specific 'vertical' disease control programs; the development of more reliable and appropriate means of financing health care systems; and, relationships between external agencies and national policy making.
The Symposium considered economic and social policies effecting health in both their international and national contexts. Two themes in particular were highlighted: equity; and, the effects on health of the debt burden being borne by Third World countries. The question of equity-in practice more often than not the lack of it-was perceived as being generic to the whole of the Symposium's concerns, and was initially discussed explicitly in the context of Latin America, India and China. As part of the presentation about China,