Globally, city leaders and decision-makers grapple with recovery planning and building back better amidst COVID-19 pandemic and future threats of pandemics alongside climate change and other environmental and social pressures. Developing member countries (DMC) and cities have been focused on curative systems. However, preventative systems including water, sanitation, housing, and other urban services remains sectoral. There is need for the curative and preventative systems to break silos and work together if we are to achieve healthier cities.

The Urban Climate Change Resilience Trust Fund (UCCRTF) has developed the ‘Planning for Healthy Resilient Cities Framework’ (PHRCF), building on experiences from UCCRTF-supported projects and ADB interventions, provide a comprehensive and practical framework for cities to map areas where they could prioritize investments that are more likely to make their cities resilient to future health shocks and stresses. An important question is: ‘how do we operationalize an integrated approach in cities given the limited institutional capacity and resources?’

Robert Guild, Chief Sector Officer, SDCC, delivered the opening remarks, followed by setting the context of the webinar by Patrick Osewe, Chief of the Health Sector Group. A panel of experts from ADB provided reflections on PHRCF and insights and perspectives on breaking down barriers to maximize health outcomes especially for the poor and marginalized vis-à-vis the projects that they are leading. The World Health Organization also shared key lessons on how urban planning and public health could work together. Susann Roth, Advisor, SDCC and Chief of Knowledge Advisory Services Center, provided reflections on the panel discussion. Manoj Sharma, Chief of Urban Sector Group, delivered the Closing Remarks.

Key takeaways from the discussion will feed into the PHRCF knowledge products for ADB and city stakeholders that UCCRTF currently develops. Webinar was open to all ADB staff and consultants, DMC and city stakeholders and partners.