Bloomberg Philanthropies has committed an additional $31 million to its Partnership for Healthy Cities program, a move that expands the roster of cities to 70 and builds on its initial $21 million gift.

From a press release:

Bloomberg Philanthropies today announced a $31 million investment to bring six new cities on three continents into its Partnership for Healthy Cities network – Bucharest, Romania; Cairo, Egypt; Córdoba, Argentina; Dublin, Ireland; Greater Manchester, United Kingdom; and Warsaw, Poland.

This networked partnership, which now includes 70 cities, supports mayors implementing proven, high-impact policies or programs to reduce noncommunicable diseases, NCDs, and injuries in their communities.

Bloomberg Philanthropies has now invested $52 million in the Partnership for Healthy Cities since its launch in 2017.

The Partnership for Healthy Cities was established as part of former New York mayor and news publisher Michael Bloomberg’s role as the World Health Organization’s Global Ambassador for Noncommunicable Diseases and Injuries.

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In the Partnership for Healthy Cities, local governments select from one of 14 interventions that address tobacco control, road safety, safe and active mobility, healthy food, data surveillance, or overdose prevention.

City staff are provided with technical assistance, communications support, grants of up to $100,000, workshops, and access to in-person and virtual peer-to-peer exchanges that support collaboration and sharing of lessons learned about areas of urban health and safety.

Important strides by partner cities toward their health and safety goals include the Municipality of Lima, Peru, passing a local ordinance promoting healthy food environments in schools and restaurants through such measures as restrictions on junk food sales and marketing.