Salalah: The inaugural Oman Conference on Healthy Cities concluded today, marking the culmination of several pivotal recommendations.
These recommendations encompass a range of measures aimed at fostering health development goals, with a primary focus on reducing the prevalence of non-communicable diseases through the adoption of community health initiative programs. They also underscore the significance of establishing a national network for healthy cities and villages, alongside the development of an electronic platform for the assessment and monitoring of urban initiatives. Furthermore, the inclusion of health-promoting commercial centers and universities in the strategy is highlighted.
Participants further advocated for the exchange of experiences among countries within the region that have implemented community health initiative approaches. They also supported the twinning of cities and villages that embrace this methodology at a regional scale, and called for the establishment of community information observatories.
The inaugural Oman Conference on Healthy Cities was organized by the Ministry of Health, represented by the Directorate General of Health Services in Dhofar Governorate, in collaboration with the Directorate General of Health Services and Programs at the Ministry, and the World Health Organization (WHO).
The Conference featured a series of scientific sessions towards the end of its proceedings, including a main session titled 'Healthy Cities and Non-Communicable Diseases.' This session was followed by several breakout sessions on various topics related to non-communicable diseases in the Eastern Mediterranean region, community partnerships for high-quality and human-centered health services, mental health, and accreditation standards for healthy cities.
Additionally, discussions were held on 'Healthy Cities: Between Reality and Aspirations – Opportunities and Challenges,' 'Voluntary Work in Healthy Cities,' and 'Strategies for Healthy Cities and Villages in Improving the Social Determinants of Health.'
The Conference's objectives were to deliberate on the current status of the Healthy Cities program within the Sultanate of Oman, including an analysis of its strengths, weaknesses, challenges, and opportunities, based on success stories and lessons learned.
