The article is an adaptation of a speech made by Dr. Mahler, Director-General of WHO on Sept. 8, 1976 in Kampala, Uganda and on 11th October in Karachi, Pakistan. The main focus of the speech is the need for a social revolution in public health to attain an acceptable level of health uniformly distributed throughout the world's population. The meaning of a social revolution in this context is to take a new approach to the solution of community health problems. Four key factors to adopt when taking this new approach are described in detail: 1) determination of social health goals, 2) identification of the health technologies that subserve the stated goals, 3) selection of sound and affordable health technologies and, 4) manifestation of the political will to determine health policies and appropriate health care systems. It is suggested that these four factors could also serve as a guide for collaboration between Member States, both within and between Regions and certain measures to meet the social challenge in implementation of the policies are offered.