The World Health Day theme this year focuses on Urbanization and Health addressing health issues of the rapidly increasing urban population. Over half of the worlds population lives in cities. By 2050, seven out of every 10 people will be city dwellers. India is a part of this global trend. Nearly 28 percent of Indias population lives in cities and this is expected to increase to 41 percent by the year 2020. The rapid increase in urban population worldwide is among the important global health issues of the 21^st century.

Health outcomes are determined by environmental, social, and physical infrastructure conditions and factors that can be positively influenced. Underlying drivers also referred to as social determinants converge in urban settings which strongly influence health status and other outcomes. These determinants include water and sanitation, quality of air, living and working conditions, access to services and resources, among others. Communicable diseases such as HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes, mental disorders, and deaths due to violence and road traffic injuries are all driven by these underlying social determinants. Unplanned urbanization is often accompanied by continued growth of slums and shantytowns. One in three urban dwellers live in slums, or a total of 1 billion people worldwide. If these underlying factors are not addressed, this could result in spiraling health costs, as well as potential security issues for underserved populations in all cities.

Urban planning can promote healthy behaviors and safety through investment in active transport, designing areas to promote physical activity and passing regulatory controls on tobacco and food safety. Improving urban living conditions in the areas of housing, water and sanitation will go a long way to mitigating health risks. Building inclusive cities that are accessible and age-friendly will benefit all urban residents. Such actions do not necessarily require additional funding, but commitment to redirect resources to priority interventions, thereby achieving greater efficiency.

Get Involved:

Tell the world about what is happening in your city and exchange ideas with people from around the globe. Go to the campaign social media site to join the discussion, upload your videos and photos and nominate your urban health hero:

You can also follow the campaign on:

-     Facebook

-     YouTube

-     Flickr

Promoting healthy cities, WHO collaborated with the Government if India and states in piloting healthy city plans and preparing tools and guidelines for capacity building of local bodies for setting up healthy cities.

WHO collaborated with the Bangalore civic bodies for setting up Bangalore Healthy Urbanization Project (BHUP). A partnership project with Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagar Palike (BBMP), BHUP tried to address the social determinants affecting health of the underprivileged and /or disadvantaged groups in the urban area, through Healthy Urbanization Learning Circles (HULC). The HULC recommendations covered promoting healthy lifestyles through improved urban basic/civic services, strengthening basic health services and outreach services, specially for diagnosis and treatment of non communicable diseases in BBMP health centres; and promoting greater access to BBMP services.

WHO supported the Human Settlement Management Institute of HUDCO in compiling a Healthy Cities Manual, a comprehensive document detailing cause and effect of each step towards urban development. The manual is a handy tool for those involved in urban management and well structured to understand the impact on health and provide for sustainable options of balancing negative effects.

WHO worked with the Ministries of Urban Development and Poverty Alleviation and Health and Family Welfare in developing a healthy city plan for Mirzapur in the Northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Using the extensive GIS information and assessing the conditions and needs, the local government and the community worked together on the healthy city plan. A Guide Atlas, the first of its kind, was compiled for planning a healthy city. The Atlas is a unique contribution of a multi-level planning process which can be adopted globally for planning healthy cities.

As part of the World Health Day 2010, WHO is advocating with all concerned for a holistic approach and inter-sector collaboration to address urban health issues.