Although death cannot be prevented or escaped, many deaths have avoidable causes. The articles presents an overview of global public health and explores major causes of premature deaths worldwide: chronic diseases and unequal access to medical care, tobacco, alcohol, lack of adequate food, malnutrition, obesity, lack of sanitation and clean water, smog, trauma, and unexploded munitions. The analysis leads to a conclusion that coordinated global effort if necessary to improve the health of the population and stimulate the impact of a variety of factors on health.