Soodah Najafi, a member of the Board of Directors of the Islamic City Council of Tehran, during her pre-agenda remarks in the council's open session, stressed the necessity of preventive measures by urban management. Given the extensive daily movement of citizens in public transportation, especially the metro and buses, strict adherence to health protocols and principles in these spaces must be prioritized from now on.
Strengthening Health Systems in the Fleet
Najafi expects the Tehran Municipality to enhance ventilation systems, continuous and effective cleaning, and to initiate targeted and widespread information campaigns to raise citizens' awareness. She emphasized the capacity of neighborhood health houses, adding that the Tehran Municipality's Health Department can play a key role in education and prevention by relying on this extensive network.
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Attention to the Health of Urban Service Workers
Najafi also identified the health of urban service management personnel as a fundamental priority, stating: Workers in urban services and waste management, laborers in green spaces, and staff of health and medical centers affiliated with the municipality are at greater risk of exposure due to their daily activities. Therefore, prioritizing these groups in preventive programs and influenza vaccination is essential, and this issue should be pursued vigorously by the Planning and Human Capital Development Department.
Waste Management in Health Crises
The member of the Tehran City Council Board further highlighted the importance of waste management during health crises, noting: The plan to obligate the Tehran Municipality to establish a waste management secretariat during epidemics, which has previously been approved in urgency and returned to the commission for necessary amendments, must be resolved as soon as possible so that in the event of any outbreak, the mechanisms for collecting and disposing of infectious waste, inter-agency task division, and coordination are clearly defined, preventing delays and confusion in urban management.
Najafi concluded by reminding that controlling the transmission chain of these diseases, in addition to urban management actions, requires citizen participation and responsibility in adhering to health guidelines, and the Tehran Municipality is expected to provide a comprehensive report on its preventive actions and readiness programs for the cold season to the Islamic City Council.
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