Development of city health profiles and healthy city plan: regional workshop report

Overview

According to the World Urbanization Prospect 2018 of UN Population Division1 , WHO South-East Asia countries is hosting 750 million urban population with average of 34.3% of total population in the region. Percentage of urban population are varied: in Bangladesh (36.6%), Bhutan (40.9%) DPR-Korea (61.9%), India (34%) Indonesia (55.3%), Maldives (39.8%), Myanmar (30.6%) Nepal (19.7%), Sri Lanka (18.5%), Thailand (49.9%), and Timor Leste (30%). Growth rate of urban population between 2020 and 2025 is projecting to be considerably high in Bhutan (6.66), Maldives (6.52), Bangladesh (4.28), Thailand (4.28), and Timor Leste (4.69). Health issues such as foodborne, water borne, and vector borne diseases, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, respiratory infections, and noncommunicable diseases (diabetes and cardiovascular disease) including mental health (depression and anxiety disorder), injuries and violence are high in urban areas.

Health of urban population is vastly divided between the rich and the poor. Urban settings are breeding grounds for complex vulnerabilities due to socio-demographic, economic, environmental, and spatial factors, where power relations are dispersed. Health inequities in urban areas are multifaceted and increasingly challenging particularly during COVID-19 pandemic.

Urban health is a regional strategic action to address social determinants of health and promotion of well-being across the life-course. WHO Healthy city initiatives have been initiated over decade, without proper indicators and measurable outcomes. Urban health system has been one of the neglected topic or unclear guidance how to coordinate different players in health service deliveries. Attention on urban primary health care have only recently been mentioned in the wake of realization of needed response to essential services during the pandemic.

New WHO development on Effective Guidance on Healthy City Action Domains launched in 2021 provides comprehensive guidance to build healthier and more resilience societies. This new guidance provides opportunities for SEAR countries to revisit their existing healthy city implementation and city initiatives that contribute to health and wellbeing. WHO-SEARO has initiated regional laboratory on urban governance for health and wellbeing and piloted approach in Bangladesh, with urban leadership trainings. WHO-SEARO assessment of urban governance and indicators for healthy cities were developed based on the new global guidance to support national and local governments to take appropriate actions.