NCD integrated into Healthy Cities Initiatives
WHO worked with the Government of Mongolia to support the Healthy Cities Initiative from its launch in 1998. The goal of this initiative is to improve the physical and social environment in urban areas with the participation of local governments as a whole-government approach. The National Programme on healthy cities, district, soum, bagh, workplace and school was developed and endorsed with WHO technical assistance and has been implemented since December 2011. Organizational structures have been established under the leadership of city and provincial governors with representatives from various public sectors such as health, education, transport, police, and community representatives.
An action plan was developed to implement various activities on tobacco control, alcohol consumption, and promotion of physical activity and healthy diet. A project to reduce road traffic accidents was also part of the action plan. Different settings such as workplaces, schools, hospitals, public transport and food markets have been identified for implementation of activities to improve the health and safety of people and as well as to promote healthy living. The best practices were from Darkhan and Khovd cities, where the local governments were able to mobilize funds locally to contribute to the urban development.
Ulaanbaatar city has piloted URBAN HEART – a tool that serves as the basis for the development of a strategy and action plan to tackle health inequity in the city. World Health Day 2010 was celebrated under the theme of uban health and it improved multisectoral engagement and brought the attention of different sectors and community on urbanization and related health issues.