Towards preventative urban health resilience: a case study of Cairo’s heliopolis

Abstract

The increasing prevalence of diseases in urban populations caused by poor living conditions and social inequities is a major concern for cities and their dwellers alike. This concern has become even more relevant after the COVID-19 pandemic, which highlighted a significant vulnerability to health disasters. This dissertation aims to examine and fill the gap between urban health and urban resilience through the analysis of urban health determinants, particularly focusing on mobility and greenery, as well as investigating the inclusion of preventative urban health measures in the Cities Resilience Index (CRI) framework. These aims were achieved through a literature review and empirical research, the latter through a case study of physical and social determinants of health and semi-structured interviews with residents of Heliopolis in Cairo. Heliopolis is undergoing an urban mobility project intending to turn it into a large mobility axis. The findings underlined a major reduction in walkable spaces, percentages of greenery, and sense of safety; affecting the resident’s lifestyles and space-use patterns and potentially leading to increased health risks, pollution and disaster vulnerability. This thesis closes by providing recommendations relinking urban health and resilience, adopting a more preventative approach to health promotion, especially in global south cities.