The 2007 Lancet Lecture was given on 9 November by Professor Adenike Grange, Minister of Health for Nigeria, in the UCL Cruciform Lecture Theatre 1.Speaking about the work being undertaken by the Nigerian government, Professor Grange said: “There is enough in terms of knowledge initiatives, strategies, tools, drugs and treatment protocols to cure disease and prolong life, but the reality is that the systems designed to bring about these outcomes are inadequate at best or even non-existent. This is a global problem.”