Expert says proactive approach is essential for building healthy cities

It is not possible to build a healthy city without a proactive approach, stated Linda Lloyd, a representative of the Lancet Commission on Dengue and Other Arboviral Diseases, at an event titled "Azerbaijan: The Pulse of Healthy Homes" organized within the framework of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) held in Baku, Report informs.

"We know the facts about what a healthy city home should contain, and we definitely have evidence for this. If there is no reliable, permanent water supply piped to the home, a sealed container is needed where water can be collected, stored, and used safely, preventing mosquitoes from entering. Screens should be installed and self-closing doors used to prevent mosquitoes from entering the home; cross-ventilation in the home to reduce odors that attract mosquitoes into our homes; weekly waste collection services to eliminate the numerous small and medium-sized containers generated by households, as well as those dumped in our neighborhoods due to the lack of waste collection services, should be considered. These containers become breeding sites for mosquitoes that affect everyone," she noted.

In addition, the expert said that there is very exciting evidence published last month: "In a project that took place in Tanzania, very significant reductions in rates of malaria, respiratory infections, and diarrheal diseases were recorded among children living in healthy homes. These children were healthier after three years and were also taller than children living in traditional homes. Well, so why do we fail to act on the evidence? Because programs are often reactive (responding after an event has occurred) and it is very difficult for them to be proactive (preventive) to address a problem that will arise in the future. This is not our responsibility. Sometimes we don't even know how to apply evidence to practice in our daily work, and we may also feel indifferent because we think we cannot influence the decision-making process."

"Nevertheless, I believe that if we use community engagement as a tool for social justice in how we carry out our daily work, we can influence the reduction of disease transmission and the creation of healthy homes and neighborhoods. Not just me as a sociologist, but all of us. Community engagement allows us to build bridges with our partners. Communities living in underserved areas, our partners in the health sector, local government, municipalities, and urban planning specialists - we all need to work together hand in hand every day. What makes community engagement powerful is that it is not an event or a one-time activity, but a continuous process. As our work with our partners develops and the solutions we identify improve, we also develop," she noted.