31 October
World Cities Day is being celebrated on 31 October to highlight the local needs of urban areas and to respond rapidly to changing conditions to safeguard health.
World Cities Day: responding to malaria in urban areas
Currently more than fifty percent of the world population live in urban areas which is projected to increase to 70% by 2050. Rapid and unplanned urbanization can have negative social and environmental health impacts, particularly on the poorest and most vulnerable.
Mass movement of populations from rural to urban areas and the subsequent changes in the urban structure creating a significant impact on its people and climate.
Unplanned urbanization may result in increase in malaria disease burden disproportionately high among the urban poor. Invasive mosquito species that adapt easily to urban environments, such as Anopheles stephensi can increase the risk of malaria in these settings.
These changes require strong planning and leadership to implement multi-sectoral, health-relevant policies and public services. The response to malaria and other vector-borne diseases must be integrated into such policies and processes.
On World Cities Day 2022, WHO and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) are jointly launching the new "Global framework for the response to malaria in urban areas".
Know more about Urban Health
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