Urban health inequities have been both illuminated and exacerbated throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. These inequities disproportionately impact vulnerable populations including migrants, ethnic and racial minorities, poor people, and people living in informal settlements, often with limited access to basic services, and those lacking food, labor and/or social protections. The need to address the social determinants of health, including structural inequities and systemic racism in cities, has never been more urgent or apparent. Effective responses must incorporate community participation, inter-sectoral action, and inclusive governance. Plenary speakers will explore the impacts of urban health inequities, identify underlying causes, and point to effective policies, strategies and interventions to reduce these inequities.

SPEAKERS:
Moderator: Dr. Gerry Eijkemans, Unit Chief for Health Promotion and Social Determinants of Health, Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), Washington D.C., USA

Urban health inequities: magnitude and drivers - Dr. Ana V. Diez Roux, Principal Investigator, Salud Urbana en América Latina (SALURBAL), Philadelphia, USA

Addressing inequities through a health in all policies approach: a focus on cities - Dr. Nicole Valentine, Health and Equity Technical Officer, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland

Harnessing urban systems for health equity - Dr. Tolullah Oni, University of Cambridge, Founder of UrbanBetter, Cambridge, UK

Urban sustainability and health equity post COVID-19 - Aromar Revi, Indian Institute for Human Settlements, (IIHS), Bengaluru, India

Governments hold ultimate responsibility for guaranteeing those conditions which allow people to be as healthy as possible. Governance for urban health requires political leadership that recognizes the relevance of decisions made in sectors beyond health and healthcare in determining health. Governments also have responsibility for creating and sustaining essential public health systems and infrastructure. Failures to support and expand capacity in the public health system can make it more difficult to advance health in all policies and respond effectively to health emergencies. The authority assigned to city and local governments varies by country, but it is increasingly apparent that the public sector must interact effectively with a growing number of governmental and non-governmental actors to fulfill these responsibilities. Speakers in this session will highlight evidence from and examples of effective participatory governance models and other actions that city governments have implemented to build public health capacity and strengthen political support for policies across sectors that promote urban health and health equity.

SPEAKERS:
Moderator: Dr. Jo Ivey Boufford, Clinical Professor of Global Health and Pediatrics, New York University, New York City, USA

Urban governance for health: key lessons from the pandemic -  Charlotte Marchandise, Partnerships and Engagement Lead, World Health Organization Academy, Rennes, France

Managing communicable diseases: the role of urban public health systems - Dr. K. Srinath Reddy, President, Public Health Foundation of India, Indian National Public Health Institute, New Delhi, India

A social and racial justice approach to urban governance for health - Dr. Mary T. Bassett, Director, FXB Center for Health and Human Rights, Harvard University, Boston, USA

Governance of urban health systems: What does it take to make it real? - Dr. Remy Sietchiping, Chief, Policy, Legislation and Governance Section, Urban Practices Branch, UN-Habitat, Nairobi, Kenya

Climate change is a major driver of urban health. Cities are especially susceptible to the adverse impacts of warming, sea-level rise, and increasingly frequent and severe extreme events. These impacts are inequitably distributed, and they are disproportionately experienced by vulnerable urban populations. Cities, in turn, play an important role in driving climate change. Urban areas contribute significantly to energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, and resource consumption – and present unique opportunities to mitigate environmental impacts, adapt to change, and promote health. This plenary session will center around the impact of climate change on health and health equity in cities; the health and environmental co-benefits of urban policies; and ways that cities can be designed, built, and governed to reduce environmental impacts and mitigate the effects of climate change on health.

SPEAKERS:
Moderator: Dr. José Siri, Senior Science Lead - Cities, Urbanization and Health, Our Planet Our Health, Wellcome Trust, London, United Kingdom

Urban living and environmental sustainability: challenges and opportunities - Dr. Karen C. Seto, Frederick C. Hixon Professor of Geography and Urbanization Science, Yale School of the Environment, New Haven, USA

Diet as a driver of health challenges and climate change: priorities for policy action - Dr. Juan Rivera, General Director, National Institute of Public Health, Mexico City, Mexico

Building healthy, resilient, and equitable cities: insights from two secondary cities - Heidi Tuhkanen, Senior Expert, Environmental Management Program, Stockholm Environment Institute, Tallin, Estonia

Cities in the era of climate change and planetary health: Lessons from Asia - Dr. Renzo Guinto, Associate Professor of Global Public Health, Inaugural Director, Planetary and Global Health Program, St. Luke’s Medical Center College of Medicine, Quezon City, Philippines