Health for all--lessons from HIV/AIDS reflections of a jobbing public health doctor.

The World Health Organisation initiative 'Health for All by the Year 2000' has laudable objectives, but are they relevant for health care? The history of HIV/AIDS services in one district suggests that the multisectoral participative approach can be fruitful and can contribute to quality services. It is noted that this was demanding in time and effort, and occurred in particular circumstances, and it is queried whether it will be possible for public health doctors acting as purchasers to set successful contracts which achieve the same sort of outcome for all services.