Asia Pacific Cities ALLIANCE for Health and Development
APCAT connects mayors, governors, and local leaders to reduce tobacco use, tackle noncommunicable diseases, eliminate tuberculosis and viral hepatitis, and build healthier, more resilient cities.
About APCAT
The Asia Pacific Cities Alliance for Health and Development (APCAT) is a network of mayors, governors, and urban leaders committed to improving public health and equity. By fostering collaboration, evidence-based policies, and strong governance, APCAT supports cities to address today’s urgent health challenges and prepare for tomorrow.
Tobacco Impact
How We Work
Cities are at the heart of APCAT’s strategy. By engaging mayors, governors, and regents, APCAT ensures that global goals are translated into local action with measurable impact. Our work includes:
- Developing and enforcing smoke-free policies.
- Strengthening NCD prevention and treatment at the community level.
- Expanding access to TB and hepatitis services.
- Promoting multisectoral collaboration through the One Health approach.
- Hosting summits and knowledge exchanges to accelerate change.
Key Focus Areas
Tobacco Use
Effective tobacco control programs include smoke free environments; a complete ban of tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship; promotion of larger graphic health warnings with plain packaging on tobacco packs; smoking cessation programs; and a ban on electronic cigarettes, heated tobacco products, shisha and similar products.
NCDs
Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) prevention and treatment services should be sustained and scaled up with their inclusion in COVID-19 responses as part of health security, and co-design and implement solutions with input from civil society, consumers and people living with NCDs.
Viral Hepatitis
Viral hepatitis is a major public health threat in the Asia Pacific region. Access to vaccinations, proper hygiene, elimination of mother to child transmission is needed by raising public awareness and strengthening health systems through public and private partnerships.
Tuberculosis
Stopping progression from infection to disease are critical to reduce TB incidence to the levels envisaged by the End TB Strategy. Health care interventions include TB preventive treatment for people living with HIV, tracing household contacts of people with TB and other risk groups; and vaccination of children with the bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine.
One Health
The One Health approach emphasizes the interconnectedness of people, animals, and the environment in shaping health outcomes. Collaborative action across sectors—human health, veterinary medicine, agriculture, and environmental sciences—is essential to prevent, detect, and respond to emerging health threats.
Summits
APCAT summits bring together representatives from various sectors to discuss innovative solutions to health and development issues, fostering collaboration, policy dialogue, and renewed commitments to address pressing issues and build healthier communities.
APCAT Collaborators
