Almaty hosting WHO Healthy Cities Summit of Mayors
The summit is taking place in the run-up to the adoption of the Astana Declaration, which will determine the prospects for the development of outpatient care, issues of prevention, health. In Almaty, summit participants are discussing the role of cities in preserving and enhancing the legacy of the Alma-Ata Declaration of 1978.
In his address to the mayors of cities, Oleg Chestnov, Head of WHO Country Office in Kazakhstan, called for expanding the WHO European Healthy Cities Network all over the world.
"For now, Almaty is Kazakhstan's only city that is in the movement of healthy cities. Other cities have not yet entered this movement. What reasons can prompt the mayors of Kazakhstan to follow the example of foreign friends? We intentionally invited to Almaty not only European cities but also other cities of Kazakhstan, and from other continents as well. It is necessary to cultivate the movement across the globe. Almaty is a green city," Chestnov said.
Mayor of Almaty Bauyrzhan Baibek in his speech recalled that the summit is held in one of the 600 megacities which make up 70% of the world economy. Life expectancy in Almaty is 76 years old, the highest in Central Asia.
"According to experts, in 2035, the population of Almaty will exceed 3 million, which is 30% more than now. Within 15 years, according to our estimates, the number of people using public transport should quadruple, the number of pedestrians and cyclists should triple, the number of private vehicles should remain at the current level of 600,000. This is an ambitious goal, and we intend to meet the challenge. The share of recycled waste and renewable energy should increase tenfold by 2050. Creating an innovative environment, high-quality education, healthcare following the example of OECD countries is our priority. The goal is to provide the population with the necessary social infrastructure, high-quality jobs. We are developing a master plan for the development of Almaty for the next 30 years. We are interested in other cities' experience in creating high-quality healthcare," said the mayor.
Last year, Almaty became a member of the WHO European Healthy Cities Network. The global movement is mainly aimed at promoting in every way the development of a healthy lifestyle, quality of medicine, environmental improvement in cities, and the creation of a comfortable and healthy urban environment.
The mayor reminded that Almaty is being turned into a city for people, not for cars. There is the 2020 Development Program of Almaty, which is compliant with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and its main priority is caring for people.
"60% of the historical center has been modernized. Walking and cycling prevent many serious diseases. That is why we actively support cycling.
We are restricting the space for the main source of harmful emissions from cars, developing public transport, upgrading the bus fleet, switching over to more environmentally friendly fuels. 80% of all public transportation in the city is carried out by environmentally friendly public vehicles. The plant for the production of electric buses using advanced German technology has been opened," Bauyrzhan Baibek informed.
Kazakhstan hosts the WHO Healthy Cities Summit of Mayors for the first time. The event is held in advance of the 40th Anniversary of the signing of the Alma-Ata Declaration on Primary Health Care and the 30th Anniversary of the establishment of the European Healthy Cities Network of the World Health Organization. The Summit is attended by about 250 people from 24 countries.
