World Health Organization Philippines, in partnership with the Department of Health (DOH), will recognize urban health champions during the celebration of World Health Day (WHD) on 7 April 2010 at Hotel Sofitel, Pasay City. This year’s WHD theme
is Urbanization and Health.
The joint event seeks to generate action to address urban health challenges in the Philippines and aims to raise awareness on urban health challenges and the need to address them, secure support of development
partners and urban health stakeholders, and recognize champions and exemplary practices of key partners in addressing urban health challenges.
Urban health champions will be recognized for innovative and exemplary undertakings on the
following initiatives:
- Health Equity and Response Tool (Urban HEART);
- Short Course on Urban Health Equity (SCUHE);
- Citywide Investment Planning for Health (CIPH);
- Environmentally Sustainable and Healthy Urban Transport (ESHUT);
- Healthy Cities Initiatives; and
- Reaching Every Depressed Barangay (RED).
Cities who have joined the 1,000 Cities, 1,000 Lives Campaign of WHO will also be acknowledged. The 1000 cities, 1000 Lives Campaign for World Health day 2010 calls upon all cities worldwide to open up portions of streets to the people to promote health
activities for one day during the week of 7-11 April 2010. Cities who have joined the 1,000 Cities, 1,000 Lives Campaign of WHO will also be acknowledged. The 1000 cities, 1000 Lives Campaign for World Health day 2010 calls upon all cities worldwide
to open up portions of streets to the people to promote health activities for one day during the week of 7-11 April 2010.
Rapid unplanned urbanization is acknowledged as one of the biggest challenges in the 21st century. Particularly in
the developing world, the speed of urbanization often outpace the ability of governments to respond. Rapid urbanization thus often becomes a critical pathway to ill health and health inequities, with the health of the poor suffering the most because
of the living conditions and the high, sometimes prohibitive cost of health services.
In the Philippines, it is estimated that 62% of the population live in urban settings, and an estimated 28% live in squatter and slum settlements. Many
of them suffer poor living conditions.
In recognizing urban health champions and celebrating this year's World Health Day, WHO Philippines hopes to promote healthy urbanization and encourage more Philippine cities to join the Healthy Cities
Initiative bandwagon. The overall goals are to decrease urban poverty, improve the quality of life, decrease spread of diseases and other health risks, meet the basic needs of each urban dweller and help in the overall control of noise, air, water
and land pollution in urban settings.
WHO encourages Cities and other stakeholders to join the 1,000 Cities, 1,000 Lives Campaign and celebrate World Health Day 2010. NOW is the time to address urban challenges!