The Demonstration City for Health Construction title for 2018 has been granted to Zhuhai with the top score in Guangdong Province, according to the Health Bureau.

A Healthy Cities initiative was initiated by the National Patriotic Health Campaign Committee (NPHCC) in 2007 to address environmental pollution, livability of urban environments, and prevention and control of disease. The initiative builds and expands upon the national Hygienic Cities project to focus on preventive health measures to improve the physical and social environments of the city and promote healthy lifestyles.

Keeping fit on greenway near Yeli Island [Photo by Wu Changfu / File photo]

Last year, the Office of NPHCC assessed 314 National Hygienic Cities (Districts) across the country using the National Health City Evaluation Index System (2018 edition). Thirty-seven indexes across health environment, social factors, health service, and culture were evaluated.

Nineteen cities and districts including Beijing's Dongcheng, Xicheng, and Shijingshan districts; Shanghai's Hongkou and Huangpu districts; Zhejiang's Tongxiang, and Shandong's Weihai, were named Demonstration Cities for Health Construction.

Thirty cities and districts, including Jinshan District of Shanghai City, Jiangsu's Suzhou, and Guangxi's Nanning were tops in their respective provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions.

The assessment summarizes experience, finds loopholes, and promotes mutual learning and referencing through the comparison of cities.