Public Health Challenges Today and Tomorrow | Inaugural Address by David Moreno

David Moreno, Secretary General for Public Health and Health Promotion of the Regional Government of Andalusia, Spain, addresses the new Europubhealth+ students at the opening of the 2026–2027 academic year at the Escuela Andaluza de Salud Pública (EASP) in Granada. In his inaugural address, David reflects on some of the major challenges facing public health today — from climate change and emerging infectious diseases to prevention, preparedness, data, health equity and the One Health approach.He also highlights the role of the next generation of public health professionals, reminding students that the challenges they face today will shape their professional lives tomorrow. A key message of the address is the importance of communication in public health: understanding who we are communicating with and adapting the message accordingly, whether addressing citizens, policymakers or the media. And, perhaps most importantly, he reminds students that much of public health work is invisible precisely because prevention works: diseases that never appear, outbreaks that never happen and lives protected before people even realise they were at risk.“You didn’t choose an easy career. You chose an essential one.” Welcome to public health! 📍 Granada, Spain 🎓 Europubhealth+ 2026–2027 🏫 Escuela Andaluza de Salud Pública