Abstract
This paper discusses the controversy between top-down, disease-focused, vertical programs, on the one hand, and activities that have been horizontally integrated into health services, on the other, using as a reference the public health initiatives developed in Mexico in the context of a recent comprehensive health care reform. The main message is that it is possible to achieve a synthesis between vertical and horizontal strategies, and also between public health and personal health care programs. Public health and personal care are the two sides of the health system coin, and both are central to a comprehensive concept of health security. Investments in epidemiological surveillance and response clearly contribute to the control of threats facing nation-states, such as pandemics and biological warfare. At the same time, investments in the protection of individuals from threats that endanger their health would also make our world a safer place.
