{
  "id": 4436720,
  "title": "Saudi Arabia leads region with 21 WHO-accredited healthy cities",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/30/saudi-arabia-leads-region-with-21-who-accredited-healthy-cities",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-30T13:02:20.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Saudi Gazette",
    "slug": "saudi-gazette",
    "url": "https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/664164/saudi-arabia/saudi-arabia-leads-region-with-21-who-accredited-healthy-cities"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Saudi Arabia has firmly established itself as the leading region in the number of World Health Organization-accredited healthy cities, boasting a total of 21. This impressive feat underscores the Kingdom's commitment to fostering sustainable urban environments that prioritize human health and overall well-being.\n\nThe achievement of 21 healthy cities signifies a substantial stride towards creating urban settings that emphasize prevention and physical and mental health. This progress is propelled by several key factors, including community engagement, the establishment of robust health services, enhancements to emergency preparedness measures, and improvements to the urban landscape.\n\nSaudi Arabia's pioneering efforts in this realm are spearheaded by the Ministry of Health's Healthy Cities program, which holds the distinction of being the first WHO collaborating center in the Eastern Mediterranean and North African region, and the fourth globally. This program transcends traditional healthcare services by adopting a holistic approach to health that encompasses urban planning, education, environmental considerations, and various facets of daily life.\n\nBy fostering collaboration with governmental bodies, the Healthy Cities program aims to expand the concept of health beyond the walls of healthcare institutions. This comprehensive strategy contributes to elevating the quality of life and cultivating healthier, more sustainable communities across the region.",
  "summary": "RIYADH — Saudi Arabia continues to strengthen its leadership among Eastern Mediterranean and North African countries in the number of World Health Organization-accredited healthy cities, with the total number reaching 21. This achievement highlights Saudi Arabia’s pioneering efforts to develop sustainable cities that place human health and quality of life at the heart of urban development. Saudi…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}