Our purpose

Oni et al. is an urban health practice, designing health into cities.

We apply public health science to consulting work, collaborating as technical partners on boundary-spanning solutions that seek to equitably integrate health into urban systems and environments.

Our consulting services also include advisory, thought leadership and speaking engagements on urban health and science diplomacy, shaping norms to health-proof the future of cities globally.

Our expertise and services

Technical
partnerships

Strategic partnerships are crucial to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We apply urban health scientific expertise to inform the development, implementation and evaluation of strategies, initiatives and policies that seek to equitably create health in cities.

We work as technical partners with organisations across public, private and civil society sectors to conceptualise and co-design actions that advance the achievement of the SDGs, with a focus on SDGs 3 (health) and 11 (cities).

Advisory
roles

We serve as scientific advisers on urban health and science diplomacy for several organisations including:

Speaking
engagements

Ideas Lab, WEF Annual Meeting Davos 2018

Can blockchain technology solve the challenges of lack of integrated data and accountability mechanisms to improve public health in urban settings?

Prof. Tolu Oni of the University of Cape Town, South Africa, explains the underlying concepts behind this approach and the challenges in applying it.

Architects are health professionals too, Conscious cities festival, Royal Institute for British Architects, 2018

As part of the Conscious cities festival held at the Royal Institute of British Architects, Professor Tolu Oni explored how architecture and urban design can better respond to human needs. In this talk, she asks us to reimagine the future role of the architect to one that promotes health-enabling design standards that promote well-being.

Thought
leadership

The first in INGSA’s COVID-19 Video Series, that will be asking a diverse range of experts:
How has the world changed and what challenges will we face post-COVID?
Prof Tolu Oni discusses what has been revealed by the crisis, our need for ‘Emergency Health Foresight’, how preparedness is not enough, and what the world is at risk of un-learning in the wake of the crisis.

May 25, 2020

Scientists can teach us how to work across borders to solve global problems. Image: REUTERS/Joseph Campbell

Here’s how ‘science diplomacy’ can help us contain COVID-19

  • ‘Science diplomacy’, meaning international cooperation with science at its core, is the key to overcoming COVID-19.
  • Science paired with diplomacy can bring about unprecedented global change, as shown by the recovery of the ozone layer.
  • Building bridges between science and policy, and between countries, will help us solve the problems of today and tomorrow.
  • Earth day future earth talk

    This year marked the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, an annual event celebrated around the world on April 22, to

    A new Lagos isolation and treatment center erected as an additional measure to handle the outbreak of the coronavirus in Lagos, Nigeria

    Impact Investment’s Pandemic Challenge

    After every global emergency, those who extended support to the world’s poorest and most vulnerable usually snap back to “business as usual,” all but ensuring that the next crisis will be as severe as the last. This time must be different.

    Interested in our services?

    An illustration using light blue, yellow, navy blue, beige and white, all colours synonymous with UrbanBetter and Oni et al