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
Appropriation of public space and urban infrastructure for leisure physical activity (ALPhA) -Second Lagos and Yaoundé stakeholder workshop reports
The research project “Informal Appropriation of Public Space for Leisure Physical Activity in Lagos and Yaoundé (ALPhA)”, led by the
How the power of youth can help fight air pollution across Africa
Air pollution kills more people in Africa than unsafe drinking water or malnutrition.
In this commentary to commemorate the first ever United Nations (UN) International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies on 7 September 2020, UrbanBetter founder, Prof Oni sets out the importance of air quality for health and the threats to health posed by urban development processes that worsen air quality for the majority.
Read the commentary below:
Slum Health: Arresting COVID-19 and Improving Well-Being in Urban Informal Settlements
Here, we offer a set of practice and policy suggestions that aim to (1) dampen the spread of COVID-19 based on the latest available science, (2) improve the likelihood of medical care for the urban poor whether or not they get infected, and (3) provide economic, social, and physical improvements and protections to the urban poor, including migrants, slum communities, and their residents, that can improve their long-term well-being.
Bolder action for health in Africa: From building health systems to building systems for health for NCD prevention
African countries are not on track to achieve the targets for NCD prevention and management.
#Cityzens4CleanAir
Campaign for clean air and healthier public spaces
Passionate about clean air and healthier public spaces for physical activity in your city?
Join the Cityzens for Clean Air campaign!
A participatory approach to building a coalition of health and planning sector urban actors in Africa-a Douala case-study
Developing a participatory approach to building a coalition of transdisciplinary actors for healthy urban planning in African cities – a case study of Douala, Cameroon
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