Bring in the Bikes: Adopting Policies With Multiple Health Benefits

 

Link to the source article >> https://healthpolicy-watch.news/bring-in-the-bikes-finding-policies-with-multiple-health-benefits/

Simply by promoting cycling, government officials could address a range of problems including non-communicable diseases (NCDs), car crashes, stress and air pollution.

But officials in different sectors seldom factor health into planning transport and urbanisation, said public health experts at a discussion on public health systems hosted this week by Vital Strategies.

“The future of public health demands that we stop looking for single-issue solutions,” said Jordan’s Princess Dina Mired, Vital’s special envoy for NCDs.

“The future of public health also demands that our health ministries be transformed from ministries of diseases to ministries of health. And this can only happen if we think more broadly about the connections that actually make a healthy society,” she added.

“We are asking you to consider how transportation, energy, finance, development and education can be the building blocks to making deep and lasting changes that protect everyone everywhere.”

This “intersectional” approach would see a range of government departments working together on “co-wins”, said speakers.

“What we’re looking for is a policy or a set of interventions that will yield multiple benefits,” said Dr Nandita Murukutla, Vital’s vice-president for global policy and research.

Return to the list of articles