Foreword: Letter of Congratulations from Dr. Gauden Galea, WHO Representative in China

On behalf of the WHO Representative Office in China, I would like to extend my sincere congratulations to the founding ofChina CDC Weekly.

Health is more than the absence of disease. It follows then that poor health is sometimes more than the result of an infection or infirmity, but also the result of a complex web of social, economic, and environmental conditions. As public health specialists, therefore, we rely heavily on evidence collected from the real world to help ensure that our strategies and interventions have the desired impact while also taking into account these inter-related factors that can affect our health.

This is why the weekly epidemiological update thatChina CDC Weeklywill offer is much needed and appreciated. Working on the frontline to address every issue that concerns the health and wellbeing of the Chinese people, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC), under the leadership of National Health Commission, is uniquely situated to assess and disseminate findings generated by surveillance data and research results from the field.

Employing the resources of China CDC,China CDCWeekly’sinfluence can be expanded. The data it provides may help effectively direct resources to where it is most needed and guide public health stakeholders at all levels to better perform their duties. It can also be used to present China’s public health experience—to facilitate global dialogue.

As future readers ofChina CDC Weekly, we at the WHO Representative Office in China also believe that the new publication will enlighten our work in China as we continue to deepen the cooperation with China CDC and strive for Healthy China 2030 together.

Congratulations again.