Healthy City Project in Cienfuegos, Cuba

Abstract

Objectives: The World Health Organization’s Healthy City Project was established to increase the health commitment of citizens in urban settings and to improve deteriorating health conditions. Cuba’s Cienfuegos city introduced the “Healthy City Project”, adapting the concept with projects based in primary healthcare. The study aimed to review the implementation of this project in Cienfuegos City, Cuba. Methods: Cuba’s Healthy City Project was reviewed by analyzing the experiences of Cienfuegos city. Relevant literature related to the implementation of the Healthy City Project was also reviewed and web-based gray literature was assessed, searched, and selected. Additionally, reports from Google Scholar and the Scientific Electronic Library Online were used to gather complementary information. Results: Initiated in 1989, the city of Cienfuegos used the Healthy City Project as a strategy for health promotion, lifestyle modification, and disease prevention. It undertook this initiative as the local government’s plan to help reduce non-communicable diseases and the associated initiatives to transform the city into a healthier one has proven to be successful, especially by involving the community and engendering the government’s political commitment. The Project has involved schools and hospitals to improve personal and community health. Conclusion: The Project has been proven effective by involving the community, yet there are some considerations, such as upgrading the evaluation system, that would improve the overall outcome of the Project.