Maragheh named second Healthy City in Iran
Maragheh named second ‘Healthy City’ in Iran
TEHRAN –The northwestern city of Maragheh, East Azarbaijan province, has been designated as the second ‘Healthy City’ in Iran.
In this line, a ceremony was held on December 3 with Health Minister Mohammad-Reza Zafarqandi , World Health Organization (WHO) Country Representative and Head of Mission to the Islamic Republic of Iran Syed Jaffar Hussain, and representative of Maragheh to the parliament (Malis) Farid Mousavi in attendance.
WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Hanan Balkhy attended virtually, WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean (EMRO) announced in a press release on December 9.
Maragheh follows Sahand – a city in East Azarbaijan, which was awarded the country’s first Healthy City designation in 2021. Building on Sahand’s experience and inspired by its achievements, in 2022, Iran became the first country in the Region to establish a National Healthy Cities network. The initiative supports registered cities and promotes the exchange of experiences and best practices.
Governor of Maragheh Morteza Minouyi accepted the award from Hussain.
Maragheh’s recognition as a Healthy City acknowledges the city’s commitment to implementing sustainable health initiatives and fostering collaborative action. Drawing attention to the transformative potential of the Healthy Cities Programme in achieving health equity and sustainable development, it serves as an inspiring example for other cities in the Islamic Republic of Iran and across the Region.
“The Healthy Cities approach is the best model for promoting development, education, and health across the country. Currently, 31 cities are preparing to join the network,” said Zafarqandi.
Balkhy, for her part, said “This achievement underscores Maragheh’s dedication to fostering a sustainable, healthier future and establishes a benchmark for cities nationwide.”
Balkhy emphasized the significance of the Healthy Cities Programme: “As a platform for multisectoral collaboration, the Healthy Cities Programme empowers communities to actively participate in needs assessments and the effective planning of interventions aimed at improving public health, ensuring that no one is left behind. The Programme helps establish organizational structures to create and implement a shared vision for cities and their residents, placing health at the forefront. This approach promotes networking and action to achieve sustainable development goals at the city level through a bottom-up methodology.”
Driving public health through collaboration
Highlighting the achievements of the Iranian Healthy Cities network, Hussain stressed how, through international collaboration and technical consultation, it “has become a hub for sharing experiences, generating practical knowledge and building capacities both within Iran and beyond”.
“The national network’s novel approach to coaching and mentoring registered Healthy Cities, initiated and led by WHO’s Country Office, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Medical Education and Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, has led to significant progress in expanding Healthy Cities in Iran and achieving public health goals.”
MT/MG
source: tehrantimes.com