A New Partnership for Healthy Cities

Here’s a tragedy many people aren’t aware of: Some of the world’s biggest causes of death and disease are often ignored by national governments. This week, city leaders are joining forces to fill the void, as they are on many of the big challenges we face – from climate change to infrastructure. And by working together, mayors and local leaders can improve billions of lives. 

Without attracting a lot of headlines, noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and injuries account for 44 million deaths each year, and they impose trillions of dollars in economic losses and health costs. These diseases include heart disease and stroke, cancer, and diabetes, as well as preventable causes of injury such as road crashes. These NCDs and injuries cause approximately two-thirds of all deaths in low- and middle-income countries, but only one percent of global public health funding goes toward fighting them. 

Part of the problem is complacency. National governments have tended to treat these causes of death as problems without solutions. But mayors look at it differently. They know solutions exist, and they are well positioned to implement them. 

Mayors are the elected officials most directly responsible for people’s health and well-being, and they have the power to act: Mayors and local officials often have the authority to prohibit smoking in public places, build bike lanes, improve building codes to reduce air pollution, and much more. Mayors also have strong incentives to take action, because health and safety are top priorities for their constituents, who can hold them accountable for results. Cities also share many common challenges, and that makes it possible for mayors to learn from one another, share smart strategies, and spread policies that work. 

In New York City, measures we passed to protect people from tobacco helped to reduce smoking by one-third, and they set in motion a wave of similar measures in cities around the world. At the same time, we learned from the efforts of other cities on a wide range of issues, from making streets safer for cycling to expanding mass transit. These steps and others helped to improve public health and safety – and increase life expectancy by three years. 

The more cities work together, the faster they can make progress. To help facilitate that, Bloomberg Philanthropies is launching the Partnership for Healthy Cities. The partnership connects mayors around the world who are committed to confronting NCDs and injuries and helping the most effective measures spread. 

Mayors of 40 cities have joined us in this effort, with additional cities signing on in the coming months. Over the next year and a half, we’ll work with each of them to put into action one of 10 evidence-based policy interventions to fight NCDs, whether it’s banning tobacco advertising, reducing speeding, or making cities more walkable. 

We’ve committed $5 million in seed grants to these cities and are supporting them with assistance from public health experts. We’ll also help mayors share best practices and lessons learned, so their success can be replicated elsewhere.

Today, more than half the world’s population lives in cities. In the coming years, that percentage will rise toward 70 percent. Focusing on cities is the best way to reduce the toll of NCDs and injuries – and mayors are eager to lead the way.

Michael Bloomberg spoke with Sarah Boseley at The Guardian about this new initiative. Read the article here.