Date: 4/11/2010
TUMSPR News: Dr. Ambrogio Manenti, the World Health Organization representative in Iran, conveyed EMRO Director’s Message for the Health Day 2010 to the audience gathered at Razi Conference Hall to celebrate Health Week in Iran on April 11, 2010.
The World Health Organization (WHO) representative in Iran Dr. Ambrogio Manenti conveyed the Eastern Mediterranean’s Regional Office (EMRO) director’s message for the Health Day 2010 to the audience gathered at Razi Conference Hall to celebrate Health Week in Iran on April 11, 2010.
Reading the director’s message, Dr. Manenti said that this year’s theme for the Health Day was Urban Health as urbanization dramatically affects the health of populations, environment and even economy. He said that by rapid population growth most of the capital and investments and facilities would be concentrated in urban areas creating more jobs and educational opportunities which are non-agricultural. Additionally national economies would grow in urban areas. He concluded that regarding the aforementioned facts, 16 out of 22 member states in the Eastern Mediterranean region [at least] have an average urban population of 50%, except Iran which is 70%. He then touched on problems created by urbanization such as absence of proper urban governance, poor legal systems and management which are the root of health challenges and cause of poor quality of life. Difficulty with water, sewage treatment, environmental hazards and poor dwelling are some other aspects of this phenomenon. Violence is growing in cities and health coverage falls short under these circumstances and people have poor nutrition, stationary life or low physical activity. Tobacco and illicit drug use is on the rise and because of urbanization health threatening situations have increased among both the poor and the rich alike.
Therefore, the goal of Health Day 2010 is a one-year program that addresses urban health in the development plans of countries.
Dr. Manenti finally expressed his pleasure as 189 cities have registered in EMRO for the 1000 cities program and showed a slide composed of drawings by children on urban health which was much welcome by the audience.
Picture gallery.
http://publicrelations.tums.ac.ir/gallery/detail.asp?galleryID=1320
http://publicrelations.tums.ac.ir/english/news/detail.asp?newsID=16417
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