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Thursday, 20 March 2025
Three cities honoured for public health achievements at 2025 Partnership for Healthy Cities SummitPartnership for Healthy Cities award recipients include Córdoba, Argentina, for food policy; Fortaleza, Brazil, for air quality surveillance; and Greater Manchester, United Kingdom, for smoke-free spaces
[https://www.who.int/news/item/20-03-2025-three-cities-honoured-for-public-health-achievements-at-2025-partnership-for-healthy-cities-summit]
Today, during the annual Partnership for Healthy Cities [https://cities4health.org/] Summit in Paris, three cities were recognized for their achievements in preventing noncommunicable diseases and injuries: Córdoba, Argentina; Fortaleza, Brazil; and Greater Manchester, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The Summit, co-hosted by [https://www.bloomberg.org/] Bloomberg Philanthropies [https://www.bloomberg.org/], the [https://www.who.int/] World Health Organization [https://www.who.int/] (WHO), [https://www.vitalstrategies.org/] Vital Strategies [https://www.vitalstrategies.org/], and the City of Paris, convened mayors and officials from 61 cities in the Partnership for Healthy Cities network to address pressing public health issues and share effective strategies for saving lives and building healthier communities at the local level.
“Noncommunicable diseases, including heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, and injuries are responsible for more than 80% of all deaths globally, but the good news is, they are preventable,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg L.P. and Bloomberg Philanthropies, WHO Global Ambassador for Noncommunicable Diseases and Injuries, and 108th mayor of New York City. “Cities are leading the way in implementing policies that are protecting public health and saving lives. This year’s winning cities are proving that progress is possible with strong leadership and political will, and we look forward to seeing the results of their efforts.”
The recipients of the 2025 Partnership for Healthy Cities Awards were chosen because they have made demonstrable progress in preventing noncommunicable diseases and injuries, setting an example that can be replicated in other jurisdictions.
All three winning cities are part of the Partnership’s [https://cities4health.org/our-cities-work/phc-policy-accelerator] Policy Accelerator [https://cities4health.org/our-cities-work/phc-policy-accelerator], which provides training and support for drafting policies and establishing the political strategies needed to develop and enact them. These cities are working with the Partnership to improve public health in the following ways:
Córdoba, Argentina, passed a new policy committing the city to promoting healthy school food environments by eliminating sugary and artificially sweetened beverages and ultra-processed products from all schools by 2026. The program has benefited 26 schools to date, reaching 15 000 of the city’s 138 000 primary school children.Fortaleza, Brazil, established the city’s first legal framework for air quality surveillance. The 2023 decree guarantees the local monitoring of air pollutants to estimate their impact on residents’ health, along with the installation of low-cost sensors to improve data collection. Reliable data will help inform city policies that can significantly reduce air pollution.Greater Manchester, United Kingdom, expanded the number of outdoor smoke-free areas as part of efforts to reduce smoking, including opening its first smoke-free park, covering 6.5 acres of public space. Greater Manchester also conducted a series of community consultations and workshops with residents to help with decision-making; launched a smoke-free toolkit and communication guidance for National Health Service (NHS) hospitals and sites; and is scaling this initiative by developing a broader smoke-free spaces toolkit for other organizations and groups that want to create smoke-free spaces.
“Cities are at the forefront of the fight against noncommunicable diseases and injuries. The progress made in Córdoba, Fortaleza, and Greater Manchester is not only improving health today but also setting a model for others to follow,” said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “WHO is committed to working with cities to build healthier, safer and more resilient communities for all.”
“Local leadership has emerged as a powerful force for addressing the complex challenges presented by noncommunicable diseases and injuries,” said Dr Mary-Ann Etiebet, President and CEO, Vital Strategies. “We applaud the work of city leaders around the globe in their efforts to create healthier, safer environments for their populations. Their efforts are having a significant impact on people’s lives and well-being, while also demonstrating to national governments that there is significant support for these policy solutions.”
Launched in 2017, the Partnership for Healthy Cities is a global network of 74 cities working to prevent noncommunicable diseases and injuries. Supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, in partnership with the World Health Organization and Vital Strategies, this initiative empowers cities worldwide to implement high-impact policy or programmatic interventions to reduce noncommunicable diseases and injuries in their communities. Through this network, city leaders are enacting transformative measures to improve the health of 300 million people across the globe.
The mayors participating in the Partnership for Healthy Cities Summit include:
Mayor Carlos Fernando Galán, Bogotá, ColombiaMunicipal Commissioner Palitha Nanayakkara, Colombo, Sri Lanka Intendant Daniel Passerini, Córdoba, ArgentinaHonorable Administrator Mohammad Azaz, Dhaka, BangladeshMunicipal President Verónica Delgadillo, Guadalajara, MexicoMayor Juhana Vartiainen, Helsinki, FinlandMayor Erias Lukwago, Kampala, UgandaMayor Chilando Chitangala, Lusaka, ZambiaIntendant Mauricio Zunino, Montevideo, UruguayMayor Anne Hidalgo, Paris, FranceMayor Pabel Muñoz López, Quito, EcuadorGovernor Claudio Benjamín Orrego Larraín, Santiago, Chile.
About Bloomberg Philanthropies
Bloomberg Philanthropies invests in 700 cities and 150 countries around the world to ensure better, longer lives for the greatest number of people. The organization focuses on creating lasting change in five key areas: the arts, education, environment, government innovation, and public health. Bloomberg Philanthropies encompasses all of Michael R. Bloomberg’s giving, including his foundation, corporate, and personal philanthropy as well as Bloomberg Associates, a philanthropic consultancy that advises cities around the world. In 2024, Bloomberg Philanthropies distributed US$ 3.7 billion. For more information, please visit bloomberg.org, [https://www.bloomberg.org/] sign up for our newsletter [https://www.bloomberg.org/sign-up/], or follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/bloombergdotorg/], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/bloomberg-philanthropies], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@bloombergdotorg], Threads [https://www.threads.net/@bloombergdotorg], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/bloombergdotorg/], and X [https://twitter.com/bloombergdotorg].
About the World Health Organization
Dedicated to the well-being of all people and guided by science, the World Health Organization leads and champions global efforts to give everyone, everywhere an equal chance at a safe and healthy life. We are the UN agency for health that connects nations, partners and people on the front lines in 150+ locations – leading the world’s response to health emergencies, preventing disease, addressing the root causes of health issues and expanding access to medicines and health care. Our mission is to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable.