The principle of “no data—no problem—no problem—no action” shows how the absence of systematic measurement obscures health and well-being in low-income settings and sustains invisibility across public health. Without consistent data collection, monitoring, and follow-up, critical dimensions of human development remain unmeasured, underfunded, and undervalued.

Our mission is to ensure that epidemiological data in public health extend beyond mortality and infectious disease, capturing exposures, risks, and outcomes most relevant to maternal, child, and community health.

Newborn screening demonstrates how invisible risks—such as genetic disorders and metabolic conditions—become actionable knowledge when systematically measured. In many low-resource settings, the absence of universal screening means preventable disabilities remain hidden until it is too late.

Diabetes underscores the urgent need for integrated data systems that support both prevention and management. Underdiagnosis leaves countless cases invisible, while fragmented health records obscure treatment outcomes. Strengthening registries, integrating electronic data, and creating community feedback loops can transform diabetes from an unseen epidemic into a manageable chronic condition.

Environmental and toxic exposures—including lead, mercury, and arsenic—further highlight the consequences of invisibility. Children in low-income and rural communities disproportionately bear these burdens, yet without biomonitoring systems, their developmental and cognitive harms remain uncounted. Making these exposures visible through systematic data collection is an act of public health justice.

Data are not a luxury. They are the foundation of recognition, accountability, and action. By embedding robust measurement across newborn health, chronic disease, and environmental exposures, we ensure that what matters most for human well-being is never left unseen.

Data are power. Data are justice. Data drive action.
For low- and middle-income countries, investing in national registries is a critical first step toward health equity and sustainable public health systems.