In this newsletter, the cover story focuses on the 2013-2014 Zambia Demographic and Health Survey (ZDHS) report which was launched recently by the Central Statistical Office. The article highlights two critical reasons why the launch of the report is timely. Firstly, the Revised Sixth National Development Plan (R-SNDP) comes to an end in 2016 hence the ZDHS can give insights about the achievement of health outcomes during the R-SNDP period and where gaps remain. This is important for drafting the Seventh National Development Plan which will follow. Secondly, the ZDHS shows how Zambia has performed on health Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). As the 2015 deadline for the MDGs approaches, the report will be important in the assessment of how Zambia has fared on the health MDGs. We encourage you to take some time to read the article and find out how the health MDGs have been put into perspective. We also feature an article on a topical issue that has recently generated a lot of debate- mining taxation. Our key message here is that there is need to strike a balance between taxes on profits and royalties because relying entirely on royalties runs significant risks.