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Received: 16 February 2023 Accepted: 12 April 2023
DOI: 10.1002/puh2.86
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Top 10 public health challenges to track in 2023: Shifting focus
beyond a global pandemic
Don Eliseo Lucero-Prisno III1,2,3Deborah Oluwaseun Shomuyiwa4,5
M. B. N. Kouwenhoven6Thinley Dorji7Goodness Ogeyi Odey8
Adriana Viola Miranda9Isaac Olushola Ogunkola8Yusuff Adebayo Adebisi10
Junjie Huang11 Lin Xu12 Joseph Christian Obnial13 Aminath Huda14
Sarawut Thepanondh3Manuel Millar Dayrit15 Salvador B. Evardone16
M. D. Lamawansa17 Samrawit Solomon Ethiopia18 Lydia Aziato 19
Philip Baba Adongo20 Mohamed Hindolo Samai21 Fernando B. Garcia Jr22
Joselito F. Villaruz23 Indika Mahesh Karunathilake24 Hao Li25
Patrick Alain Azanza26 Ian Findlay27 Martin C. S. Wong11
1Department of Global Health and Development, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
2Faculty of Management and Development Studies, University of the Philippines Open University, Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines
3Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
4Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria
5Global Health Focus Africa, Lagos, Nigeria
6Department of Physics, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, China
7Department of Internal Medicine, Central Regional Referral Hospital, Gelephu, Bhutan
8Department of Public Health, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria
9Global Health Focus Asia, Bandung, Indonesia
10Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
11JC School of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR China
12Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
13East Avenue Medical Center, Quezon, Philippines
14School of Medicine, The Maldives National University, Malé, Maldives
15Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health, Manila, Philippines
16Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center, Tacloban City, Philippines
17Department of Surgery, Teaching Hospital Peradeniya, Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya, Kandy, Sri Lanka
18School of Public Health, St. Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
19Department of Adult Health, School of Nursing, College of Health Sciences, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Volta Region, Ghana
20Department of Social and Behavioural Science, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
21College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, Freetown, Sierra Leone
22College of Public Health, University of the Philippines, Manila, Philippines
23West Visayas State University, Iloilo City, Philippines
This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original
work is properly cited.
© 2023 The Authors. Public Health Challenges published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Public Health Chall. 2023;2:e86. wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/puh2 1of9
https://doi.org/10.1002/puh2.86
2of9 LUCERO-PRISNO ET AL.
24Department of Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Colombo, Sri Lanka
25Global Health Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
26Office of the University President, Catanduanes State University, Virac, Catanduanes, Philippines
27University of Puthisastra, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Correspondence
Deborah Oluwaseun Shomuyiwa, Faculty of
Pharmacy, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria.
Email: deborahshomuyiwa@gmail.com
Abstract
The year 2022 saw COVID-19 as the primary public health concern, with vaccine
rollout and mandates at the forefront. Other viral infectious diseases, such as Mon-
keypox and Ebola, emerged as public health concerns. Climate change and political
conflicts significantly impacted global health, increasing the demand for human-
itarian assistance and protection. In 2023, it remains crucial to identify global and
public health priority areas to coordinate and implement effective solutions. Through
discussions with public health practitioners and researchers, we have identified key
priority areas for 2023, namely, health systems, the mental health crisis, substance
abuse, infectious diseases, malnutrition and food insecurity, sexual and reproductive
health challenges, environmental pollution, the climate crisis, cancer, and diabetes.
These priority areas highlight shared concerns that should be addressed to facili-
tate proactive and innovative health interventions and practices. To achieve universal
healthcare targets for 2030, prioritization, financial investment, international cooper-
ation, and collaboration in addressing these global health challenges are crucial. This
requires coordination among public health decision-makers, the private health sec-
tor, and opinion leaders to implement country-specific healthcare financing and food
security measures. Research, scientific knowledge, and technical capacities must be
leveraged to produce sustainable interventions that effectively reduce health dispar-
ities and improve health system responsiveness to prevent these challenges from
progressing to public health emergencies.
KEYWORDS
global health, health challenges, health priorities, public health
INTRODUCTION
As the New Year begins, response measures to public
health challenges are crucial for global human development.
COVID-19 was the main focus in 2022, with the rollout
of vaccines and vaccination mandates at the forefront. The
potential for herd immunity in the light of emerging virus
variants and the evaluation of the transmission-stopping capa-
bilities of available vaccines was a major concern. Other viral
infectious diseases such as Ebola and Monkeypox also repre-
sented significant global public health concerns [1]. Political
conflicts, such as the Russia–Ukraine conflict, had global
impacts, leading to soaring food and energy prices, migrant
and refugee crises, inordinate health systems effects, and a
potential nuclear disaster [2].
The 2022 list of global public health challenges [3]
included COVID-19, human resources for health, health
financing, conflict and humanitarian crises, mental health,
poverty, climate change, child health, reproductive health,
and the global infodemic. Responses to COVID-19 and
emerging infectious diseases drove the concept of col-
laborative intelligence, optimizing disease surveillance and
developing capacity for locally manufacturing vaccines. As
projected, the consequences of the climate crisis were notable
in 2022, with countries in Europe experiencing their hottest
summers [3], deadly floods in Pakistan and Nigeria, and
widespread droughts across Africa [4], Sexual and reproduc-
tive health rights were fiercely debated with the landmark
ruling of the US Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade.The
2022 list of global public health challenges also projected the
already obvious high requirement for humanitarian assistance
and protection due to political conflicts and natural disasters.
The world will continue to experience an influx of global
health challenges in 2023. To proactively plan for and address
these complex issues, it is crucial to identify global and public
health priority areas. This allows the global community to
coordinate, implement, and scale up local and international
collaborative actions. Identifying these important challenges
is integral to monitoring and developing policies to address
these health risks, focusing on lessening the burden in low-
and middle-income countries (LMICs).
In developing this study, we engaged public health practi-
tioners, experts, and researchers across sectors in discussions
to identify and prioritize global public health priorities for
2023. Corroborating the responses with existing literature,
we provide analysis and evidence to support public health
TOP 10 PUBLIC HEALTH CHALLENGES 3of9
priority areas for 2023. These highlight shared concerns fac-
ing human health and development that should be addressed
to facilitate proactive, collaborative, and innovative health
interventions and practices.
Health systems
Healthcare systems are crucial in implementing health
actions that promote population health and Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs). However, achieving universal
health coverage (UHC) is impossible without the proper
actions to strengthen health system challenges, especially in
developing countries. The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed
the weaknesses in many health systems across high-, middle-
, and low-income countries. It has led to the overburden of
healthcare systems and human resources for health, limit-
ing the capacity of the systems to deliver essential services
to communities [5]. Inadequate access to healthcare systems
is a threat to global health: At least 50% of the world’s
population does not have access to the essential healthcare
services they need [5]. In addition, due to uninsured medical
costs, nearly 100 million individuals have been forced into
extreme poverty annually due to the burden of out-of-pocket
expenditures [6].
Health systems challenges vary across the globe, with
developing countries experiencing more problems in health
financing, health workforce development, infrastructures,
supplies, healthcare information systems, and other vital
aspects [7]. Developed countries also experience significant
gaps in health systems concerning prescription drugs, the
high costs of long-term care, mental health services, den-
tal services, and eye care [8]. Chronic global shortages of
health workers are also prevalent due to an uneven supply of
healthcare workers across countries further compounded by a
significant migration of workers from developing to devel-
oped countries [9]. Health workforce shortages contribute
to health inequities, which affect vulnerable populations,
including women and children, rural communities, and
marginalized groups [10]. This shortage affects the ability
of healthcare systems to deliver essential services, includ-
ing maternal and child health, infectious disease control, and
noncommunicable disease management [11].
At a time when countries have yet to recover from the
impacts of COVID-19, a surge of emerging infectious dis-
eases poses significant public health challenges that need to
be adequately addressed [12]. Strengthening Primary Health
Care (PHC) systems becomes vital to address health issues
effectively and holistically, especially in regions where phys-
ical access through road and transport is a major problem
[6]. PHC is essential for improving a health system’s abil-
ity to withstand crises by empowering the local community
in safeguarding public health, assisting in the surveillance
of outbreaks and epidemics, and rapid responses to spikes
in service demand. PHC is the “front door” of the health-
care system; an efficient PHC system lays the groundwork
for improving crucial public health functions to address pub-
lic health emergencies and early identification of people
requiring clinical care [6].
Mental health
One of the lasting impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic is the
decline in mental health. Historically, mental health and dis-
orders were not a global health priority, focusing more on
communicable and noncommunicable diseases [13]. In many
countries, the management of mental health disorders has
been isolated from conventional healthcare, with little fund-
ing relative to the disease burden [14]. Mental health concerns
have risen post-pandemic, with an incidence level higher than
cancer [15]. There were disruptions in the delivery of mental
healthcare and suicide prevention services during the pan-
demic. The 2022 WHO World Mental Health report indicated
that the COVID-19 pandemic triggered a 25% increase in the
global prevalence of anxiety and depression [13]. The com-
binations of factors such as the rising cost of living, ongoing
global conflicts, and the impact of climate change are driv-
ing the epidemic of anxiety and depression worldwide. The
Russia–Ukraine conflict is estimated to have put nearly 10
million people at risk of mental health disorders like acute
stress, anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder
[16].
The global community must act toward the inclusion
and funding of mental health support programs that extend
beyond the pandemic. Despite countries only allocating less
than 2% of national health budgets to mental health, fund-
ing has been received from both domestic and international
contributions [17]. These must then be used to promote new
models of interventions that integrate mental health support
throughout the healthcare continuum. This transformation
will strategically position mental healthcare and provide more
effective support. The models that can be used include col-
laborative care models, digital health interventions, and peer
support programs.
Substance abuse
Today, alcohol and tobacco are legal and easily accessible
to adults in most countries. However, substance use, exclud-
ing alcohol and tobacco, is responsible for approximately
500,000 deaths annually, with tobacco and alcohol estimated
to result in over 8 million deaths annually [14, 18, 19]. Recre-
ational drug use was also estimated to be responsible for over
42 million years of healthy life loss (disability-adjusted life
years, DALYs) in 2017, making up approximately 1.3% of
the global burden of disease (GBD) [18]. It is estimated that
about 11 million people globally inject drugs regularly. This
includes 1.4 million infected with HIV and 5.6 million with
hepatitis C [18, 19].
Substance abuse and its associated harms have contributed
significantly to the shift from infectious diseases to noninfec-
tious diseases in the GBD [14]. The GBD study estimated
4of9 LUCERO-PRISNO ET AL.
that in 2017, alcohol and drug use accounted for 5.1% and
0.9% of the GBD, respectively [20]. According to the 2021
World Drug Report by the United Nations Office on Drugs
and Crime (UNODC), around 275 million people globally
used drugs at least once in 2020, an increase of 22% over
the last decade [21].
To address this serious public health challenge, a more
proactive and innovative approach is needed, as the tra-
ditional ways of criminalization and punishment have not
been effective. Stakeholders need to scale up funding and
evidence-based harm reduction interventions while increas-
ing access to treatment and support for those struggling with
substance abuse. Community education programs, recov-
ery support services, and exercise and nutritional-based
interventions expand interventions for addressing substance
abuse. Additionally, a more holistic approach is needed,
targeting the underlying social and economic factors that
contribute to substance abuse, such as stigma, poverty, unem-
ployment, violence, and conflict. By aligning drug and
substance abuse interventions with the general scope of men-
tal health disorders, we can develop a system of holistic
health protection.
Infectious diseases
Emerging and reemerging infectious diseases present signif-
icant obstacles to improving health in poor communities and
have a significant global impact. Pandemics can occur unex-
pectedly and spread rapidly, with the COVID-19 pandemic
serving as a reminder of the importance of preparedness
and rapid response to emerging microbial threats [22].
Socioeconomic determinants and inequity can influence the
occurrence and spread of infectious diseases, affecting access
to healthcare, sanitation, and nutrition. Poverty and lim-
ited access to clean water and sanitation can contribute to
the spread of infectious diseases such as cholera and diar-
rheal diseases [22]. Furthermore, ongoing issues such as
HIV/AIDS and malaria have put significant pressure on
healthcare systems.
Although significant progress has been made with regard
to HIV/AIDS treatment, much remains to be done to ensure
that all those living with HIV receive the care and treat-
ment they need [23]. High-burden countries such as Africa
face unique challenges in responding to HIV, including the
risk of transmission through injection drug use, lack of
accessibility to antiretroviral therapy, and continued social
stigma associated with drug use [24]. Similarly, malaria
disproportionately affects the poorest and rural popula-
tions in Sub-Saharan Africa, with disruptions in healthcare
supply and demand further exacerbating the burden of the
disease [25].
The expanding scope of infectious diseases calls for
improving the quality of primary health services in healthcare
delivery. Resilient and functional primary healthcare sets the
foundation for boosting health promotion and services focus-
ing on preventing infectious diseases. Providing adequate
financial support to the public health infrastructure and work-
ing toward alleviating poverty are all crucial components
of an effective response to emerging and reemerging infec-
tious disease threats. Marked inequalities within and between
countries slow down progress in the responses to infec-
tious diseases, necessitating interagency and international
collaborations for research, optimization of surveillance and
response systems, and the shared goal of improving access to
quality and affordable health services.
Malnutrition and food safety
Malnutrition affects 2.36 billion adults [26], corresponding
to approximately 29% of the global population. Malnutri-
tion is a major issue among children: It is estimated that as
of 2020, stunting (too short for age) incidents reached 149
million children under 5 (21%), whereas wasting (too thin
for height) incidents reached 45 million (6%) [26]. Forty-
five percent of mortality under the age of 5 is linked to
undernutrition, mostly occurring in LMICs [26]. Conversely,
overnutrition has also become a threat to public health. Glob-
ally, approximately 39% of adults aged 18 years and over
were overweight, and 13% were obese [26]. Malnutrition
is linked to several socioeconomic factors, such as limited
access to healthy food and a lack of awareness of what
constitutes a healthy diet. Moreover, a healthy diet is becom-
ing increasingly unaffordable, with food prices increasing by
11% between 2020 and 2021 globally [27]. The COVID-19
pandemic has further increased the incidence of wasting to 60
million in 2022 due to reduced access to food [28]. The risk
of undernutrition is further heightened due to ongoing con-
flicts, such as the Russia–Ukraine conflict, which has led to
a 20% increase in food prices globally [27, 28]. Moreover,
climate-driven disasters have, to some extent, disrupted the
food supply chain. All these factors have contributed to a
more prominent risk of malnutrition in 2023.
Food safety is also a significant public health challenge
with almost 1 in 10 people becoming ill after consuming
contaminated food every year. This disproportionately affects
LMICs and results in a global annual burden of 33 million
DALYs and 420,000 premature deaths. The globalization
of the production and supply of food has caused a wider
and faster transmission of foodborne pathogens, including
those that are resistant to antimicrobials [29]. Govern-
ments around the world have taken a number of measures
to improve food security and safety. In 2022, the United
Nations (UN) established the Global Crisis Response Group
on Food, Energy, and Finance to address crises related to
the Russia–Ukraine conflict [30]. Funding has been allocated
to assist countries that are most at risk of famine [31]. In
October 2022, the WHO published the Global Strategy for
Food Safety 2022–2030, the third published strategy since
2002 [29]. The strategy emphasizes a One Health approach,
involving collaboration and communication among stake-
holders in food production, processing, and distribution to
identify and mitigate safety risks, as well as implement
TOP 10 PUBLIC HEALTH CHALLENGES 5of9
improved surveillance, monitoring, and risk assessment
systems to prevent, detect, and respond to foodborne ill-
nesses. Although the impacts of these efforts remain to
be seen in 2023, this holistic approach can help address
food safety challenges more effectively by recognizing the
interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental
health.
Sexual and reproductive health
The unmet needs of sexual and reproductive health can lead to
the illness and death of millions [32]. Some of the major Sex-
ual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) challenges
include inadequate comprehensive sexuality education (CSE)
[33], gender-based violence [34], teenage pregnancy [3],
early marriage [35], sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
[36], maternal health [37], unsafe abortion [38], unmet needs
of family planning [39], infertility and reproductive cancers
[40], and poor access to SRHR services [3]. Integrating CSE
into the national curricula and educational systems is a sig-
nificant challenge for many countries, especially for LMICs
[33]. This deficiency is a major driver of adolescent preg-
nancies, estimated to occur annually in 21 million girls aged
15–19 in developing countries, as approximately 12 million
of them give birth annually [3, 33]. In addition, more than 12
million girls each year get married before reaching the age
of 18 [35]. Although global trends in child marriage have
decreased, no region is on track to meet the SDG 5.3 tar-
get of eliminating this practice by 2030 [35]. Approximately
800 women die daily from pregnancy and childbirth-related
causes, around 45% of all abortions are unsafe, and more
than 270 million women still have an unmet need for family
planning [37, 38].
Challenges such as gender-based violence and STIs have
also increased in recent years. Gender-based violence is a sig-
nificant challenge that affects one in three women in their
lifetime [34]. Gender-based violence increased during the
COVID-19 pandemic, revealing a shadow pandemic of sexual
gender-based violence and menstrual health inequities [41].
For STIs, the 2019 GBD study depicted an increase in preva-
lence by 58.15% by 2019 from 1990 [42]. Each day, more
than 1 million people become infected from four curable
STIs: Syphilis, Gonorrhea, Chlamydia, and Trichomoniasis
[36]. By the end of 2021, an estimated 38.4 people were liv-
ing with HIV, and two thirds were from Africa [43]. With the
COVID-19 pandemic, the quality and access to services and
treatment for these diseases have only worsened [3].
Achieving UHC through improved access to equitable,
affordable, and nondiscriminatory SRHR information and
services is key to improving demographic outcomes and
fostering sustainable development. Multistakeholder engage-
ments are needed to address these challenges in 2023,
particularly through integrating SRHR information and
services into healthcare delivery, educational systems, gen-
der development, climate action, sociopolitical/community
engagement, laws, policy design, and implementation.
Investment in SRHR is critical to surmounting this chal-
lenge in 2023. Communities and governments, especially
those in LMICs, should improve domestic funding for SRHR
to increase the present US$6.3 billion annual resources in
2020 to the required US$10.8 billion by 2030. A transition
from the current donor-dependent funding landscape to self-
financing systems is necessary to sustain the progress made
in SRHR and global health.
Environmental pollution
Globally, there is an increase in the risk exposure for
attributable mortality and years of life lost to disability related
to environmental pollution, particularly for ambient particu-
late matter pollution [42]. The WHO estimates that 7 million
deaths are attributable to the joint effects of environmen-
tal and household air pollution. It is estimated that nearly
the entire global population breathes air that exceeds the
WHO-recommended guidelines on air particulate matters,
with LMICs suffering from the highest exposures [44].
The pollution of the environment is a major threat to
humans, wildlife, and their habitats on land, in waterways,
and in the oceans. The ingestion of microplastics and plasti-
cizers in humans may be associated with infertility, obesity,
endocrine dysfunctions, and malignancy [44]. The health
impacts of using toxic heavy metals such as mercury and lead
in fuel and paint products continue to be a significant problem
in countries that have yet to adopt appropriate alternatives.
This is just one aspect of the larger issue of anthropogenic
pollution, or pollution stemming from human activity [44].
Human activities continue to pollute soil, water, and air, often
without adequate monitoring and regulation, particularly in
developing countries. The pollution of the ecosphere harms
the health of humans and other living organisms and may
also trigger political and security threats. It is crucial that we
take immediate action to address these issues and implement
sustainable solutions to mitigate the effects of anthropogenic
pollution.
Cancer
Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for
19.3 million new cancer cases and almost 10.0 million cancer
deaths in 2020 [45]. The burden of cancer incidence and mor-
tality is influenced by various risk factors, including lifestyle
habits, environmental factors, and genetics [46]. The lack of
access to timely access to cancer screening, detection, and
treatment in many countries contributes to the high mortal-
ity rate associated with cancer [45]. Infections also play a
significant role in cancer incidence, and cancers related to
infections are potentially preventable. Helicobacter pylori,
human papillomavirus, and hepatitis B and C viruses are
common infectious agents linked to cancer. However, access
to early identification and treatment of these infections is
challenging in many developing countries.
6of9 LUCERO-PRISNO ET AL.
Preventing cancer mortality is one of the SDGs for
reducing premature mortality caused by noncommunicable
diseases. The factors contributing to cancer-related DALYs
are age, tobacco, alcohol, dietary risks, environmental pollu-
tion, obesity, and occupational risks [47]. Screening and early
detection require increased awareness of the first signs of can-
cers among the general public and improved accessibility and
access to diagnostic services. Correct and timely diagnosis
of cancers followed by effective treatment can preserve the
quality of life of many. However, the costs of cancer thera-
pies remain prohibitively high in many countries. For those
with terminal stages of cancer, there is a strong need for pal-
liative care treatments to relieve the symptoms and suffering
of patients and their families.
Climate change
The World Health Organization identifies climate change
as the most significant health threat facing humanity in the
intermediate term [48]. With increasing temperatures and
other climate change-related environmental issues, the global
disease profile is changing. First, more infectious diseases
are emerging and/or reemerging in certain regions, such as
dengue in North and South America and Ebola in Africa.
The climate is becoming increasingly suitable for the growth
of disease vectors such as Aedes aegypti, with transmission
increasing by almost 10% between 1950 and 2018 [49]. Addi-
tionally, climate change also results in more frequent and
severe environmental disasters. The 2022 monsoon flooding
in Pakistan affected over one third of the country’s popula-
tion and was thought to be particularly severe due to climate
change [50]. Heat waves are also becoming more common,
with a UNICEF report estimating that 23% of children (538
million) are exposed to high heat wave frequency, and by
2050, 1.6–1.9 billion children will be affected, threatening
their health and well-being [51]. Heat waves are associated
with greater risks of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases,
reduced access to quality food and nutrition, and a higher risk
of mortality [51]. A study found that the odds of heat stroke
hospitalization increase by 37% for every additional day of
heat wave exposure, highlighting the serious impact of heat
waves on the health outcomes of older adults [52].
Despite these impacts of climate change, the inclusion of
health into climate management programs (and vice versa)
is still minimal. Health has only been included as a global
goal on climate adaptation at the 27th UN Climate Change
Conference of Parties (COP27) in 2022 [53]. The real impact
of this decision on the climate health landscape remains to be
seen. In addition, although the WHO includes health-specific
climate financing as one of the 10 key components of climate-
resilient health systems [54], a separate funding facility for
health within the climate financing framework has yet to be
pledged. Because of this, climate change remains one of the
top public health challenges that must be dealt with utmost
urgency.
Diabetes
Diabetes is a serious and potentially debilitating condition
with costly complications to individuals, families, healthcare
systems, and national economies. Globally, an estimated 536
million people are living with diabetes, with 783 million indi-
viduals projected to have the disease by 2045 [55]. According
to WHO, approximately 95% of all adults with diabetes have
Type-2 diabetes, with an expected increase in percentage in
coming years [56]. Although Type-1 diabetes is a significant
health concern, the GBD caused by Type-2 is much greater
due to its higher prevalence, association with preventable
risk factors, and numerous complications. About 80% of
adults with diabetes live in LIMCs [57]. Despite diabetes long
being associated with overweight and obese individuals, the
increasing prevalence among non-overweight patients, partic-
ularly those of Asian and African ancestry, presents a peculiar
challenge [58].
Prioritizing diabetes in 2023 is vital, as the present scope
of food insecurity, economic downturn, and health sys-
tems changes increase the risk of this disease. A global
shift in health systems paradigms for prevention and care
efforts is essential to stem the tide of Type-2 diabetes mel-
litus (T2DM) and its complications. Increased investment
in patient self-management education and support is inte-
gral to preventing and reducing the risk of complications and
the impact of chronic disease. Effective T2DM management
requires addressing contributing socioeconomic factors, pro-
moting global equity, and expanding access to diabetes care
in LMICs. These measures will ensure access to necessary
care for T2DM, enable equitable distribution of healthcare
resources and lead to better health outcomes.
CONCLUSION
Identifying the top public health challenges is key to devel-
oping responsive, effective, and sustainable health delivery
systems. As the conundrum of global health challenges
expands, a high degree of prioritization, financial investment,
international cooperation, and collaboration in tackling these
challenges is needed to accomplish 2030 universal health-
care targets. This calls for a clear agreement among public
health decision-makers, the private health sector, and opinion
leaders to drive the implementation of country-specific mea-
sures for healthcare. These top 10 challenges are expected
to dominate globally in 2023 and must therefore take some
precedence in global health efforts. Leveraging research, fos-
tering the evolution of scientific knowledge, and increasing
technical capacities must be done as early as possible to
produce sustainable interventions that can effectively adapt
to both current and emerging public health issues. With the
COVID-19 pandemic underscoring the importance of invest-
ing in public health infrastructure and systems, global efforts
must be started now before these public health challenges
become their own public health emergencies.
TOP 10 PUBLIC HEALTH CHALLENGES 7of9
AUTHOR CONTRIBUTIONS
Data curation; project administration; supervision;
writing—original draft; writing—review and editing:
Deborah Oluwaseun Shomuyiwa. Data curation; project
administration; writing—original draft; writing—review and
editing: Thinley Dorji. Writing—original draft; writing—
review and editing: Goodness Ogeyi Odey, Adriana Viola
Miranda, Isaac Olushola Ogunkola. Data curation; for-
mal analysis; writing—original draft; writing—review and
editing: Yusuff Adebayo Adebisi. Writing—original draft;
Writing—review and editing: Junjie Huang. Writing—review
and editing: Sarawut Thepanondh, M. D. Lamawansa, Sam-
rawit Solomon, Lydia Aziato, Philip Baba Adongo, Indika
Mahesh Karunathilake, Hao Li, Martin C. S. Wong, Joseph
Christian Obnial, Patrick Alain Azanza.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT
Don Eliseo Lucero-Prisno III and M. B. N. Kouwenhoven
are Editorial Board members of Public Health Challenges
and are coauthors of this article. Deborah Oluwaseun
Shomuyiwa, Thinley Dorji, Goodness Ogeyi Odey, Adriana
Viola Miranda, Isaac Olushola Ogunkola, Yusuff Adebayo
Adebisi, Junjie Huang, Lin Xu, and Joseph Christian Obnial
are Youth Editorial Board members of Public Health Chal-
lenges and a coauthor of this article. To minimize bias, they
have been excluded from all editorial decision-making related
to the acceptance of this article for publication.
DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT
No database or primary data was used in preparing the
manuscript.
ETHICS STATEMENT
No ethics approval was required.
ORCID
Don Eliseo Lucero-Prisno III https://orcid.org/0000-0002-
2179-6365
Deborah Oluwaseun Shomuyiwa https://orcid.org/0000-
0001-6665-9439
M. B. N. Kouwenhoven https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1805-
0570
Thinley Dorji https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4932-8704
Goodness Ogeyi Odey https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2374-
9909
Adriana Viola Miranda https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8548-
1592
Isaac Olushola Ogunkola https://orcid.org/0000-0003-
2220-1869
Yusuff Adebayo Adebisi https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2381-
0984
Junjie Huang https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2382-4443
Joseph Christian Obnial https://orcid.org/0000-0003-
2711-4094
Samrawit Solomon Ethiopia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-
3863-4995
Lydia Aziato https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7813-5525
Philip Baba Adongo https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0614-
4756
Mohamed Hindolo Samai https://orcid.org/0000-0002-
1427-9482
Fernando B. Garcia Jr https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6730-
2180
Joselito F. Villaruz https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7762-4220
Indika Mahesh Karunathilake https://orcid.org/0000-
0001-9772-116X
Hao Li https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5155-4033
Patrick Alain Azanza https://orcid.org/0009-0006-0589-
6442
Ian Findlay https://orcid.org/0009-0006-7787-1076
Martin C. S. Wong https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7706-9370
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How to cite this article: Lucero-Prisno DE,
Shomuyiwa DO, Kouwenhoven MBN, et al. Top 10
public health challenges to track in 2023: Shifting
focus beyond a global pandemic. Public Health Chall.
2023;2:e86. https://doi.org/10.1002/puh2.86
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