Neurocysticercosis: eradication of cysticercosis is an attainable goal.

peoples. Values, lifestyles, standards of living and culture, so important to clinical understandings, lie midway. Health workers are more familiar with short and mid-distance factors, but improving the health of indigenous peoples requires a broad approach covering a wide spectrum of interventions. The Declaration of Health and Survival recommends several strategies including capacity building, research, cultural education for health professionals, increased funding and resources for indigenous health, a reduction in the inequities accompanying globalisation, and constitutional and legislative changes by states. Many indigenous groups have emphasised autonomy and self determination and have given priority to developing an indigenous health workforce that has both professional and cultural competence. They have also promoted the adoption of indigenous health perspectives, including spirituality, in conventional health services. Traditional healing has been suggested as a further strategy though generally as part of comprehensive primary health care and in collaboration with health professionals. However, while access to quality health care is important, socioeconomic and macropolitical interventions may have greater potential for improving the health status of indigenous peoples. As the international decade for the world’s indigenous peoples which began in 1994 moves towards its final year, a major theme of the third Asia Pacific Forum on Quality Improvement in Health Care to be held in New Zealand in September 2003, will be indigenous health issues especially as they apply to Maori and Pacific peoples. The BMJ will also publish a theme issue on 9 August 2003 on the health of indigenous people from all over the world—not just New Zealand—and invites original research papers on the topic. Papers should be submitted to www.submit. bmj.com and the editorial contact is Rajendra Kale ([email protected]). The guest editors will be Chris Cunningham and Fiona Stanley.