Cordoba was highlighted among those known as healthy cities in the world and received an award from the World Health Organization (WHO).
The capital of the homonymous province was distinguished along with Fortaleza, Brazil, and Manchester, in the United Kingdom.
The three cities share, under the organization’s view, a healthy vision for their residents with smoke-free parks, clean air initiatives, and school lunches to combat obesity.
Cordoba, among the highlighted healthy cities
They received the recognition at the Healthy Cities Summit, held in Paris and co-sponsored by the WHO and the non-profit organizations Bloomberg Philanthropies and Vital Strategies.
The highlighted policies of the provincial capital. (Photo: Wikipedia).
In the case of the Argentine city, its policy of eliminating sugary and artificially sweetened drinks, as well as ultra-processed foods, from all schools by 2026 was highlighted.
So far, 15,000 children from primary schools in 26 schools have benefited from the measure.
WHO Communication Officer, Jaimie Guerra, stated that there is currently “great progress in local leadership.” In this regard, she highlighted: “they are joining the fight and trying to reduce the rates of the main causes of death in the world: heart diseases, diabetes, cancers, and respiratory diseases.”
The Summit brought together mayors and officials from 61 cities around the world to discuss how to build healthier local communities.
“A model to follow”
The WHO Director-General congratulated the three winning cities, stating that they are a model to follow for other metropolises.
Cordoba’s measure to remove sugary drinks, among other foods, from schools was highlighted. (Photo: Pixabay).
These cities are at the forefront of the fight against non-communicable diseases and injuries, according to Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
In the case of the Brazilian city of Fortaleza, it was awarded for having implemented a first legal framework to monitor air quality. The aim is to curb air pollution and help people breathe more easily.
In 2023, municipal authorities adopted a decree that guarantees local monitoring of air pollutants and the installation of low-cost sensors for better data collection.
Manchester also received a distinction. (Photo: Pixabay).
Regarding Manchester, it received the distinction for continuing efforts to reduce tobacco consumption in the metropolitan area (known as Greater Manchester). It presented its first smoke-free park covering 2.6 hectares.
This city in northern England also launched a set of tools for smoke-free hospitals. Additionally, it is developing a broader set of measures to support organizations in creating tobacco-free spaces.
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