Seoul wins WHO award for age-friendly policies

Seoul has received an award from the World Health Organization for its policies dedicated to improving the management of senior health in the city, the city government said Thursday.

Presented at the 10th Global Conference of the Alliance for Healthy Cities at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul from Wednesday to Friday, the Healthy Cities Recognition Award for Age-Friendly Cities highlights Seoul's commitment to promoting the health and well-being of its aging population, according to city officials.

Central to Seoul's recognized initiatives are the Seoul Health Longevity Centers, the city said. The city has revamped public health centers to better collaborate with neighborhood clinics and hospitals. When patients are referred from local medical facilities to the Health Longevity Centers, a team from the health centers, including pharmacists and nurses, visits their homes to provide care.

The Seoul Health Longevity Centers classify seniors into three groups based on their health needs: health maintenance, regular management and intensive management. This tiered approach ensures meticulous services ranging from disease prevention to home-based care, supporting a transition into healthy aging. Furthermore, the centers build networks with local residents to maintain health and prevent diseases, offering various programs to promote the health of seniors, the city said.

Seoul has initiated this project with seven centers across two districts -- Eunpyeong-gu and Geumcheon-gu -- this year and has a plan to expand to 100 centers throughout all 25 districts by 2030.

"As we move into the era of superaging, our Health Longevity Centers will become the heart of community-driven efforts to enhance our seniors' well-being. We hope for Seoul to serve as a leading example on the world stage for age-friendly urban development," said Kim Tae-hee, head of the Citizens' Health Bureau at the SMG.

The conference, themed "Smarter and Healthier Cities for a Better Future," was co-hosted by the SMG and the Alliance for Healthy Cities in the Western Pacific Region, and co-sponsored by the WHO Western Pacific Regional Office this year, aiming to inspire cities globally toward sustainable, health-promoting change. More than 100 organizations and 1,200 participants, including mayors from 49 cities and representatives from international organizations attended.

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon on Wednesday at the opening ceremony showcased the city’s innovative health policies at the conference, including Wrist Doctor 9988, a comprehensive digital health care initiative engaging over 1.3 million residents. Oh also highlighted the Garden City Project, which is designed to ensure that everyone can access green spaces within a five-minute walk, and the Climate Card, an unlimited transit pass aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions while alleviating public transportation costs.

"With more than half of the world's population now living in cities, urban health is directly linked to global health. Building healthy cities is key to creating a well-being society where people can live well," Oh stressed.