City metropolises pose health risks

Millions of metropolises pose health risks

The World Health Organization (WHO) World Health Day (WHO), which has been taking place every year since April 7, 2004, is concerned with the health of people in mega-metropolises, as cities such as Tokyo or Mexico City with a population of more than 8 million each have one However, many people in these cities have health problems. According to the information provided by the United Nations, there is an urgent need for action. After all, more than half of all people already live in cities and fewer and fewer people still live in rural areas German city dwellers, according to forecasts of the United Nations in the year 2020 it should be even 76%. However, as population density increases, so does the risk of ill health from contagious diseases and pollution.

In order to bring this topic to the public, actions were carried out this Wednesday in Hamburg, Cologne and Frankfurt on the Oder and in a total of 1000 cities around the world under the motto "1,000 Cities - 1,000 Lives" - with the common goal above to clarify how a healthy life in the city can be possible. So had e.g. Hamburg presented a project in which under the title "Promoting neighborhoods - for a healthy city" the living conditions should be further strengthened and improved. According to the Federal Association for Prevention and Health Promotion, there is a need for further action here and so other places should follow and deal with this topic in lectures. However, the fact that a big city life can have a negative effect on the health of the inhabitants is no longer a new knowledge in Germany and has also been taken seriously for years. since 1999, the program "Social City", through which jointly funded by the federal and state districts with special development needs. In addition, the nationwide cooperation network "Health promotion in the socially disadvantaged" was founded in 2003. Furthermore, the Federal Association for Prevention and Health Promotion itself organizes several actions within the framework of the World Health Day together with the nationwide network "Healthy Cities" and the German Cities Association.

This commitment of the Federal Association of prevention was the SPD-health expert Mechthild Rawert, although praiseworthy, the action of the Federal Ministry of Health, however, left to be desired, since this year for the first time since 1954 neither supported by the Ministry action nor a press conference or an official motto and black and yellow also act counter-productive by vehemently opposed to a prevention law.

In connection with the promotion of a healthy life in the cities, the German Professional Association for Nursing (DBfK) also made it clear how important it is that municipalities and cities provide for the health promotion of their residents at any age: whether too little movement in the The smallest, excessive alcoholism among adolescents or inadequate social contacts among older people - in any case, offers should be created that enable and support a healthy life. (sb, 07.04.2010)