On World Cities Day 2022, WHO calls on countries to “act locally to go global”

By 2050, almost 7 out of 10 people globally will live in cities and other urban environments. As cities face many health challenges, on World Cities Day 2022 WHO and partners examine how city leaders are uniquely positioned to understand local needs and respond quickly to changing conditions to protect health.

Although living in cities brings numerous advantages, rapid and unplanned urbanization can have negative social and environmental impacts on health. This includes not only issues related to climate change, pandemics and non-communicable diseases, but also malaria and other vector-borne diseases. While the burden of malaria is currently even greater in rural areas, current urbanization trends mean that within a few years most people living in malaria-endemic countries will live in urban areas.

In this regard, and on the occasion of World Cities Day 2022, WHO and UN Habitat created Global fa framework for responding to malaria in urban areas. The framework provides guidance to city government officials, health professionals and urban planners for a comprehensive malaria response especially in urban areas, where transmission dynamics and the burden of vector-borne diseases may differ from rural areas. The framework recognizes that the global fight against malaria and other vector-borne diseases requires strong local government action in areas such as health, housing and infrastructure.

“By offering specific guidance to local officials, this new framework can help ensure that malaria control is an integral part of the broader urban planning, policy-making and budgeting process,” explains Dr. Abdisalan Noor, Head of the Strategic Response Information Unit at the World Health Organization’s Global Malaria Programme. organisations. “For any urban context, the strategic use of data can provide effective, tailored responses and help build resilience against the threat of malaria and other vector-borne diseases.”

On World Cities Day 2022, WHO is also launching Urban Health Research Plan, a comprehensive strategy to help cities build better evidence of what works to address urban health challenges. The program calls for the collection of evidence on the environmental, economic and social effects of urban health policies, so that they can be approached through a coordinated approach involving different sectors working together to improve the health of their residents.

“We desperately need to tackle the challenges that affect the health and well-being of people living in cities,” notes Dr. Etienne Krug, Director of WHO’s Department of Social Determinants of Health. “Strong urban policies must prioritize health, to ensure resilient and vibrant communities in which to live, work, go to school and play, while protecting those who are most vulnerable.”

Urban health is a growing priority for WHO, which is addressing the issue in a number of ways, such as better air quality, safe water supply and improved sanitation; sound urban planning; smoke-free environment; road safety; prevention of violence and injuries; healthy eating and nutrition systems; ecological management of vector-borne diseases; and preparedness for emergency health and humanitarian situations. Addressing the needs of specific population groups, such as children and the elderly and migrants, is also a priority. The interconnected nature of urban health challenges means that action in one sector can have benefits for many others.

To help Member States address the above priorities, WHO supports strengthening the evidence base to enable policy makers to make informed decisions when dealing with health risks. We provide tools and guidance on what works and support monitoring of key health-related indicators. In addition, we lead and participate in partnership activities that encourage exchanges between cities and help develop institutional and policy frameworks for good governance for health and well-being in cities.