Anam New City considers issues of public health as an important element of the rurban design. A healthy population translates to economic vitality and collective progress. Designing for a healthy community means providing access to health services such as patient clinics and hospitals, but also preventative education for families based on lifestyle, as well as health-supporting spaces, high environmental quality, access to healing services and highly nutritional agriculture.
Like many neglected rural areas, the Anam region currently has meager health services, combined with growing medical problems and increased occurrence of chronic and transmissible diseases. The rigorous lives of farmers exacerbate many physical problems as well, and overcrowding in urban areas means that residents, and especially children are extremely vulnerable to exposure to the spread of disease. Sickle cell disease, HIV/AIDS, malnutrition and malaria are all on the rise in Anam and currently there are limited services in place that can mitigate or alleviate poor health and illnesses.
Cornell University student members of The Coalition of Pan-African Scholars have partnered with the Chife Foundation to research and develop evidence-based health curricula that are designed to address the current needs in Anam. The curriculum will be based on research and best practices from the World Health Organization, Center for Disease Control and developed in consultation with Cornell faculty in International Agriculture & Rural Development, Nutrition and Africana Studies. Workshop topics to be developed will include nutrition, hygiene, maternal & child health, sexual health and disease prevention. The student’s work will inform the implementation of community workshops and supplement additional field surveys to be conducted in the coming months during the New City Rurban Workshop.
ANAM CITY Blog 