On March 16, the meeting of the Committee on Social Development of the BRICS+ Association of Cities and Municipalities was held at the India Habitat Centre (India). The «Social Dialogue: Equal Opportunities for a Safe and Healthy Life» brought together representatives from different countries to discuss key issues of healthcare, active longevity, and creating a healthy environment in cities.
The session was moderated by Ms. Tatiana Shestakova, Executive Director of the Russian Association «Healthy Cities, Districts and Villages», member of the Public Council under the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation. In her opening remarks, she noted that active longevity is an integral indicator of the quality of social policy, and the municipal «Healthy Cities» movement is an effective mechanism for consolidating the efforts of local authorities, the expert community, and international organizations.
The meeting opened with a video address from Mr. Thiago Hérick de Sá, Coordinator of the Department of Social Determinants of Health, Health Promotion and Prevention at the World Health Organization (WHO). The WHO representative emphasized the importance of a cross-sectoral approach in addressing public health challenges and noted the role of local authorities as key partners in achieving sustainable development goals.
Mr. Alexey Erk, Chairman of the Association «Healthy Cities, Districts and Villages», Head of the Tula Municipality (Russia), presented the experience of the Tula Region in promoting a healthy lifestyle. He spoke about systematic work to create sports infrastructure: over the past eight years, more than 200 sports facilities have been built in the region. Special attention was paid to the «Tula Longevity» project, within the framework of which more than 4,500 elderly people engage in Nordic walking and other types of physical activity, as well as the «Healthy Municipality» project.
Mr. Evgeny Pichuev, Chairman of the Tver City Council (Russia), shared his experience in creating a healthy environment in Tver. He emphasized the importance of interdepartmental cooperation in the development of municipal programs aimed at disease prevention and increasing physical activity of the population.
Mr. Maxim Ryashin, Mayor of Khanty-Mansiysk (Russia), presented the concept of the «City of Happy Longevity». Khanty-Mansiysk, recognized as the most comfortable city in its climatic group, demonstrates high indicators of quality of life: the average life expectancy is 78 years, the Active Longevity Center is actively operating, with more than 3,500 elderly people participating.
Mr. Sergei Rybalchenko, Chairman of the Commission on Demography, Protection of Family, Children and Traditional Family Values of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation, General Director of the Institute of Scientific and Public Expertise, presented a report on the role of participation in public life as a factor of active longevity. He introduced participants to the methodology for calculating the Active Aging Index used in the Russian Federation and proposed adapting this tool for BRICS countries. He also proposed holding an international «Healthy Cities» competition using the indicators of the Active Aging Index.
Ms. Natalia Semenova, Deputy Director for Scientific, Organizational and Methodological Work of the V.M.Bekhterev National Medical Research Center for Psychiatry and Neurology, delivered a report on cognitive potential and mental health in the «silver age». She presented the experience of cooperation between the Bekhterev Center and the Association «Healthy Cities, Districts and Villages» in series of webinars on mental health of children, adolescents and young people, as well as on issues of active longevity.
Ms. Marina Fomicheva, Director of the Public Health and Medical Prevention Center of the Novosibirsk Region, presented the experience of the Novosibirsk Region in creating an effective public health system at the local level. She spoke about the development of information and communication campaigns covering more than 750,000 people annually, the implementation of municipal and corporate health promotion programs, as well as the principles of interdepartmental cooperation laid down in the strategic development plan of Novosibirsk until 2020.
Ms. Yulia Vlasova, Chief Physician of the Public Health and Medical Prevention Center of the Perm Region, shared the region’s experience in strengthening public health. She presented the regional interdepartmental project «School is a Territory of Health», the annual forum «Healthy Cities for Healthy Generations», as well as workplace health promotion practices.
Participants of the social dialogue confirmed that creating a healthy environment requires the combined efforts of local self-government bodies, healthcare systems, educational and sports institutions, public organizations, and businesses. The meeting identified promising areas of cooperation: the development of a network of healthy cities in BRICS countries, exchange of practices for strengthening the mental health of the population, adaptation of the active aging assessment methodology for international use, as well as joint activities on disease prevention and promoting a healthy lifestyle.
