In a powerful call to action following her appearance at the prestigious Nobel Prize Dialogue, renowned public health expert and epidemiologist Tolullah Oni is advocating for a fundamental shift in how Indian cities are planned and developed. Her vision places health at the forefront of urban design, a move she argues is crucial for tackling interconnected crises.
Oni, whose work bridges public health and urban equity, emphasized that the current model of urban development often creates environments that are detrimental to citizen well-being. She pointed to the growing burdens of non-communicable diseases, air pollution, and climate vulnerability as direct consequences of poor planning.
The Core of the Health-First City
So, what does a 'health-first' city look like? According to Dr. Oni, it's built on several key pillars:
- Integrated Planning: Breaking down silos between health, transport, housing, and environment departments to create cohesive policies.
- Active Mobility: Designing walkable neighborhoods with safe cycling lanes and accessible public transport to reduce pollution and promote physical activity.
- Green Spaces: Prioritizing parks and urban forests that improve mental health, reduce urban heat, and enhance air quality.
- Equitable Access: Ensuring all citizens, especially the most vulnerable, have access to healthy food, clean water, and quality healthcare.
Bengaluru as a Case Study
Using Bengaluru as a reference, Oni highlighted the city's challenges with flooding, traffic congestion, and air quality as symptoms of a system where health was an afterthought. She argued that reimagining the city with a health-centric lens is not just an environmental or social imperative, but an economic one, reducing the future burden on healthcare systems.
Her participation in the Nobel Prize Dialogue in Brussels provided a global platform for this message, connecting local urban challenges in India to a worldwide conversation on sustainable development and human well-being.
The push for health-first cities represents a paradigm shift, moving from treating disease to designing it out of our environment from the very beginning.
