Davos, January 21, 2025 – Today at the World Economic Forum, the World Heart Federation and the Novartis Foundation called on global leaders to endorse the Davos Declaration on Urban Heart Health, a bold new initiative aimed at combatting the world’s leading cause of death and disability – cardiovascular disease (CVD).
With urban populations expected to swell to 70% of the global total by 2050, cities are recognized as crucial in addressing CVD. The Declaration proposes a multifaceted strategy to enhance health outcomes and productivity by reducing CVD through improved care quality, accelerated disease detection, robust health policies, and the integration of cutting-edge technologies.
Dr. Jagat Narula, President of WHF, stressed the urgency of the initiative: “Urban centres, where the vast majority of the world’s population now resides, are the frontline in our fight against CVD. By harnessing a wide array of sectors—not just healthcare, but also urban planning, environment, and technology—we can make significant strides towards healthier populations, curb preventable diseases, and significantly reduce premature loss of life.”
Key measures include commitments to ambitious population health targets, frequent monitoring of progress, and policy reforms with proven health benefits. Cities are urged to focus on early detection of cardiovascular risk and its prompt adequate management. The Declaration further emphasizes how leveraging data and technology can help better target and tailor effective heart health action.
Dr. Ann Aerts, Head of the Novartis Foundation, highlighted the transformative potential of technology: “Through real-time data, precision tools and collaborative efforts, we can address heart health with the accuracy and urgency required. This Declaration not only sets forth a plan to tackle heart disease in an unprecedented fashion but also acts as a blueprint for global heart health innovation by establishing a new network of cities and partners willing to rise to the challenge of CVD.”
The Davos Declaration on Urban Heart Health was unveiled as part of the WEF’s panel session on “Precision Population Health: The AI-Driven Evolution of Urban Health,” spotlighting the critical role of data and new partnerships in advancing population health. The panel featured high-level representatives from industry and policy demonstrating a unified multi-sectoral approach to tackling global heart health challenges.
Notes to Editors:
- The Davos Declaration on Urban Heart Health is a joint initiative of the World Heart Federation and the Novartis Foundation and is based on the success of the population health approach CARDIO4Cities. It was launched as a global coordinated effort and the centrepiece of a panel session at WEF 2025 entitled “Precision Population Health: The AI-Driven Evolution of Urban Health.” Leaders in policy and industry convened, representing a range of disciplines including health and equity, urban development, cardiology, anthropology, climate and environmental policy, data science and technology, and philanthropy. The session explored the potential of strong and diverse partnerships to indelibly and equitably improve cardiovascular health outcomes.
- The World Heart Federation (WHF) is an umbrella organization of close to 250 Members in more than 100 countries, representing the global cardiovascular community and uniting patient, medical, scientific, and civil society groups. WHF’s three-fold mission is to connect and lead the CVD community, translate science into policy, and stimulate knowledge exchange. For more information, visit https://www.worldheart.org
- The Novartis Foundation is a non-profit organization based in Switzerland. For over 40 years, it has helped improve the health of low-income populations, initially supporting disease elimination in areas such as leprosy and malaria. Today, it tackles the burning health issues of our time: cardiovascular disease and health inequity. The Novartis Foundation takes a population health approach, which means widening the lens from a narrow focus on healthcare delivery to a panoramic vision of improving health in the population at large, with a goal of ensuring healthy lives for all. Its work brings together existing but disconnected data to help authorities understand the root causes of inequitable health outcomes and find the best ways and partners to remediate them. The Novartis Foundation aims to empower governments to transform their health systems from being reactive to being proactive, predictive, and preventative, and achieving health equity among the populations they serve. For more information, visit www.novartisfoundation.org
Contacts:
- Borjana Pervan, Director of Strategy and Communications, WHF: [email protected], +41 22 512 0684
- Max Rein, Communications Lead, Novartis Foundation: [email protected], +41 79 330 2623
