In this week’s issue of THE LANCET (997), an international task force writes: “It is now a matter of urgency to ensure that health systems become the focus of national and international efforts to improve capacity to deliver effective interventions in an equitable fashion to those who can benefit”.

In this Public Health article, the task force members outline a research agenda, and call on LANCET readers and other interested parties to comment on their proposals. A revised document will then be submitted to WHO after the Mexico Ministerial Summit.