Kuching city leader AFHC 2028-2030

KUCHING, 29 September: Kuching was elected as the leading city and Chairman of Alliance for Healthy Cities (AFHC) for the period 2028 to 2030, thus strengthening its role in the international agenda of Healthy Cities.

Sarawak Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian, said the round-robin election was a big recognition and responsibility for Kuching.

He said the role gave Kuching an opportunity to share experiences, learn new approaches and highlight the experience of cities in Asia and the Pacific.

"Kuching will also host the 12th AFHC Global Conference in 2028. Kuching City's journey to health began in 1994. More than three decades later, the journey is still on", he said speaking at the 15th World Congress and Exhibition on Design and Health here today.

In this regard, Dr Sim said climate change is now becoming increasingly obvious as a public health issue, especially in Sarawak which faces various challenges including air pollution, dust, extreme heat, floods, water and food safety and vector-borne diseases.

"Human health cannot be separated from environmental health", he said.

He said the cities of the future not only need to be low-carbon, but also resilient to climate change and able to support population health.

"Sustainable cities that do not protect human health are not truly sustainable", he said.

In this regard, he called on congress participants to translate the ideas and knowledge gained into real action, including producing designs that can enhance community welfare as well as influence policy.

"Let Kuching be the place where ideas about design and a Healthy City move from conference papers to real-world implementation", he said.

He said the urban design decisions made today will have an impact on future generations as buildings, roads and transportation systems can affect the lives of communities for a long time.

"For Sarawak, our direction is clear. We want a healthy, inclusive, smart, resilient and most importantly, designed for humanity", he said.