Spotlight

World leaders gathered virtually and in person in New York for the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly. Here are key takeaways from five leading public health issues we were following.

As world leaders gather for the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly, they are grappling with multiple emergencies, from COVID-19 to climate change. We look at five public health issues we are following closely.

A healthy future requires healthy children. But children face health risks from environmental hazards, including air pollution and lead exposure. Gains have been made in reducing childhood mortality and improving health, but there is still much work to be done, particularly when it comes to children’s environmental health. Photo: Larry Price, Indonesia.

The COVID-19 pandemic has taught the world a hard lesson: that the health of people and the health of economies and societies are inextricably linked. Investing in health is the only way we will be able to build back to a safer and more equitable world.

Cities are the engines of innovation, and we believe urban leaders, working alongside their communities, can help build a better post-pandemic future—one where access to health care and a healthy environment is not dependent on how much money you have, where you live or the color of your skin.

Every year, 41 million people die from noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as heart disease, lung disease and cancer. These account for seven out of every 10 deaths worldwide, with deeply inequitable impact—more than 80% occur in countries with high levels of poverty.

2020 was a momentous year for the world and for Vital Strategies. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted lives, communities and institutions worldwide, and public health took center stage. A long-overdue reckoning on racial justice in the United States prompted global focus on this critical issue, and COVID-19 laid bare the gaps in equity across our societies. We responded with innovation, resilience and renewed commitment.

Urbanization has become a determinant for health in its own right. Cities are places where health can be produced or compromised, and city leaders have shown that they can lead the way by creating systems that promote and protect health. This was already happening before the pandemic, and city leaders have stepped up to respond to COVID-19's impact on their people.

Health is inextricably linked to the people and institutions that shape our everyday lives—from the schools our children attend, to the government departments that manage the streets we use, to the businesses that shape the advertising that surrounds us. And policy is the best tool we have to empower people by making the healthy choice the easy choice.