WHO Recognizes Córdoba, Fortaleza, and Manchester for Health Initiatives at Paris Summit

Paris, France - The World Health Organization (WHO) awarded Córdoba (Argentina), Fortaleza (Brazil), and Manchester (UK) for their initiatives promoting public health. The awards were presented at a summit co-hosted by WHO, Bloomberg Philanthropies, and Vital Strategies. Córdoba was recognized for its policy eliminating sugary drinks and ultra-processed foods from schools by 2026, benefiting 15,000 primary schoolchildren in 26 schools. Fortaleza established its first legal framework for air quality surveillance in 2023, adopting a decree for local monitoring of air pollutants and installing low-cost sensors for better data collection. Greater Manchester introduced its first smoke-free park and launched a smoke-free toolkit for hospitals, supporting organizations in creating tobacco-free spaces. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus congratulated the winners for leading the fight against non-communicable diseases and injuries, which account for over 80% of global deaths.