Nairobi, New York, and Osaka Join Forces for Global Health: Partnership for Healthy Cities Expands

By Arnold Ageta

Bloomberg Philanthropies announced the joining of Nairobi, New York and Osaka into the Partnership for Healthy Cities network. The announcement was made in recognition of World Cities Day which is observed every October 31.

This network, which now comprises of 73 cities, supports mayors implementing proven, high-impact interventions to reduce noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and injuries in their communities. NCDs include heart disease, diabetes, respiratory diseases, and cancer.

WHO records indicate that noncommunicable diseases are responsible for over 80 per cent of all deaths globally.

Launched in 2017 as part of Michael R. Bloomberg’s role as the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Global Ambassador for Noncommunicable Diseases and Injuries, Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Partnership for Healthy Cities is a collaboration with WHO and Vital Strategies, a global health organization.

The Partnership supports cities in strengthening public health policies in several areas, including tobacco control, food policy, road safety, surveillance and overdose prevention.

Michael Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies and WHO Global Ambassador for NCDs says through the Partnership for Healthy Cities, local leaders around the world are helping improve public health and save lives.

Speaking during this year’s Word Cities Day celebrations in New York, Michael Bloomberg welcomed three new members: Nairobi, New York City and Osaka.

“These cities and their mayors have shown they are committed to implementing policies that protect the health and safety of millions of people, and our team is looking forward to supporting their work – and helping spread it around the world,” said Michael R. Bloomberg.

Partnership members select from one of 14 interventions proven to prevent NCDs and injuries. These measures address tobacco control, road safety, safe and active mobility, healthy food, data surveillance, or overdose prevention. City staff are provided technical assistance, communications support, grants, workshops, and access to in-person and virtual peer-to-peer exchanges that support collaboration and sharing of lessons learned about areas of urban health and safety.

WHO Director General sad that cities have long served as drivers of improved public health and that he applauds efforts of city leaders working to create healthier and stronger urban centers where residents can thrive.

“WHO welcomes Nairobi, New York City and Osaka – three of the world’s biggest cities – to the ever-expanding partnership and commends their mayors for their commitment to building urban environments that nurture health,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.

He added: “We look forward to supporting all three cities to implement evidence-based and cost-effective solutions to promote health and prevent noncommunicable disease and injuries. We welcome the new cities to the Partnership and are eager to support their efforts creating systemic, lasting change improving health around the world.”

Nairobi City County Governor Johnson Sakaja said effective noncommunicable disease prevention and control calls for a multi-sectoral and multi-disciplinary approach.

“Working with Bloomberg Philanthropies will greatly contribute to better collaboration with state and non-state actors to reduce the rising burden and incidence of NCDs and improve the quality of care for those who develop NCDs in Nairobi, Kenya,” Governor Sakaja said.

His counterpart, New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan said that they will continue to be a leader in the prevention of injuries and diseases like cancer, heart disease and diabetes.

“Yet we never give up the hunger to learn and grow. Every good model starts somewhere, and we are as eager to implement successful efforts from other cities as we are to innovate in our own,” Dr. Ashwin reiterated.

Governor of Osaka Prefecture said that Osaka Prefecture is very proud to be joining the Partnership for Healthy Cities, a global network of cities that aims to save lives by reducing noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and injuries.

“Osaka Prefecture is implementing various cancer countermeasures, including increasing the rate of receiving cancer screenings. By participating in this partnership and sharing knowledge with other cities in the network, we hope to further develop our efforts and contribute to the promotion of cancer control around the world,” Hirofumi Yoshimura explained.

Important strides made by partner cities already in the network toward their health and safety goals include Athens’, Greece increased access to the opioid overdose reversal agent, naloxone, at community-based organizations and among healthcare professionals

Another is Bengaluru’s, India which has reduced smoking in public places and improving compliance with existing mandates on public smoking bans

The Partnership for Healthy Cities a global network of cities committed to saving lives by preventing noncommunicable diseases and injuries and is supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies in partnership with World Health Organization and the global health organization Vital Strategies.