Dr Kamran Abbasi, Executive Editor, The BMJ, London

Hello, I'm Kamran Abbasi, executive editor of the BMJ based in London. The BMJ is one of the leading research journals in healthcare, one of the top four journals. Research is central to what we do, and we are one of the only journals where all research is open access, which we believe is a public good for science and healthcare. Many of our topics are clinically oriented, relevant to clinicians and policy makers, ultimately for patient benefit. The Health in South Asia collection addresses healthcare challenges in the region but also offers solutions, advice, and policy recommendations. South Asia is a quarter of the world's population, growing rapidly, and we have a longstanding commitment to the region. I worked on a similar collection in 2004, bringing together leading experts from every country. That was published to wide success. Now we have repeated the exercise with over 60 authors from across the region. The message is that progress has been made, but huge problems remain, and new ones have emerged, such as non-communicable diseases like diabetes and heart disease, and urbanization-related issues like mental health and injuries. The region has become more complex. We still believe there is hope, and people in the region need to prioritize health for development and prosperity. India is an important readership market for us, with strong historical links and many doctors of Indian origin in the UK. India's economic and technological development, and its growing influence in healthcare, make it crucial. Our central mission is to make the world healthier, and helping India's clinicians and policymakers improve health for its large population is key. Our future plans include ongoing coverage of India and South Asia, with annual collections of relevant content.