More than half of all people live in cities — by 2050, this number is expected to rise to 70 percent. Cities are where key drivers of health play out, making them a hub of opportunity to advance health globally. Initiatives to improve health in cities have been successful, but there remains a huge opportunity for stakeholders across the public, private, and social sectors to do better and achieve improved and more equitable health outcomes in cities.
The McKinsey Health Institute (MHI) estimates that a focus on immediately influenceable interventions at the city level can add approximately 20 billion to 25 billion years of higher-quality life at a global level.