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
Cities Can Champion Biodiversity Preservation For Planetary Health
As we celebrate the International Day for Biological Diversity on 22nd May, we need to remember that cities can and
WHO planetary health webinar
This first and very engaging webinar in a series hosted by the Global Health Governance: Building the Reset campaign, highlighted the importance of work on planetary health as the next frontier and integrated governance vision for the future. Around a hundred people participated in this dynamic online encounter, exploring the transformative potential of planetary health as a new compass for renovating health governance.
The urban environment and leisure physical activity during the COVID-19 pandemic: a view from Lagos
In this commentary, we highlight five aspects of the ordinary – known interactions between urban environments and physical activity – that are amplified by the extraordinary – an unprecedented societal response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Using Lagos, Nigeria as a case study, we illustrate the possibility of re-thinking urban development and the potential for urban (re)form to address health inequalities in African megacities in the context of post-COVID-19 pandemic.
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:
Health is Everyone’s Business
Health is everyone’s business. When we talk about health, we think about hospitals, clinics and diseases that people have. But
Architects are Health Professionals Too
As part of the 2018 Conscious cities festival held at the Royal Institute of British Architects, Professor Tolu Oni explored
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