A global spotlight on healthy cities, but where is Africa?
The 2025 Healthy Cities list is out, but no African city made it. This raises serious concerns about urban health systems across the continent. While other cities are being praised for clean air, strong public health programs and sustainable food systems, Africa must address the gaps holding its cities back.
What is holding African Cities back?
Key issues include poor waste management, limited access to clean water, unsafe food and weak healthcare supply chains. Many African cities are trying to improve, but the lack of reliable data and monitoring slows progress. That is where traceability can make a big difference.
How Traceability can boost Urban health
Traceability means tracking products and services throughout their journey. With GS1 standards and digital tools, African cities can:
From farm to fork, traceability ensures every meal is safe, fresh, and trustworthy
- Keep food safe: Traceability ensures food is tracked from farm to fork, helping stop contamination and improving quality.
- Secure medical supplies: It blocks fake drugs and makes sure hospitals get the right medicines on time.
- Improve waste management: Smart tracking can help cities manage waste better and reduce pollution.
- Monitor air and water: Digital tools can track pollution sources, helping clean the air and water.
Governments and businesses must work together to adopt traceability. By using data, enforcing rules and investing in digital systems, cities can improve public health and meet global standards.
Africa’s absence from the 2025 list is not a defeat, it is a wake-up call. Traceability could be the key to building healthier, smarter cities for the future.
