Unlocking Heart Health for All: A European Revolution
Cardiovascular disease is a silent killer, and it's time to take action. A groundbreaking collaboration, Cities@Heart, is tackling this crisis head-on, aiming to transform heart health in European cities. But here's where it gets controversial: the project's success could challenge the status quo of healthcare inequality.
On January 14, 2026, a consortium of 34 international partners embarked on a mission to combat cardiovascular disease, a leading cause of death globally, with over 20 million lives lost annually. The EU's financial burden from cardiovascular disease exceeds its annual budget, a startling fact that demands attention.
The problem is particularly acute in urban areas, where three-quarters of the European population reside. Factors like poverty, limited healthcare access, and lifestyle choices exacerbate the risk. Despite existing interventions, their ineffective implementation leaves those who need them most vulnerable. This is especially true for underserved communities, ethnic groups, people with disabilities, and women.
Cities@Heart introduces a revolutionary approach, engaging entire cities in a holistic health transformation. Led by the University Medical Center Utrecht, the University of Birmingham, and Novartis, this public-private partnership involves a diverse group of 34 partners.
The project, funded by the European Union Innovative Health Initiative, will design, pilot, and evaluate city-specific strategies to enhance cardiovascular health. By targeting obesity, high blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes, the initiative aims to reduce the devastating impact of heart attacks, strokes, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and vascular dementia on underserved communities.
And this is the part most people miss: the project's leadership emphasizes the importance of addressing health inequalities. Professor Dipak Kotecha, the global director, highlights the need to tackle inequalities in health and healthcare access, which significantly contribute to poor outcomes. The project will engage affected citizens, community leaders, city councils, clinicians, and industry partners to co-create lasting solutions.
The consortium includes the World Health Organization, World Heart Federation, European Heart Network, European Society of Cardiology, and many more. Strategies will be implemented in seven cities: Belfast, Birmingham, Cork, Izmir, Łódź, Udine, and Utrecht. Successful approaches will then be scaled across the WHO's European network and beyond.
Jesús Ponce, from Novartis, emphasizes the company's vision of a world free from preventable cardiovascular deaths. Cities@Heart, he believes, is a crucial step towards addressing the unmet needs of underserved populations through innovative partnerships.
The ultimate goal? To ensure that cardiovascular disease prevention, detection, and management are universally accessible in urban areas, supported by cutting-edge health technology. By doing so, Cities@Heart aims to reduce the economic burden of cardiovascular disease, improve quality of life, and extend life expectancy for millions.
But will this ambitious project succeed in challenging the healthcare status quo? Share your thoughts in the comments.
For more details, visit www.citiesatheart.eu or contact office@citiesatheart.eu.
Contact and References
ESC Press Office:
- Tel: +33 (0)6 61 40 1884
- Email: press@escardio.org
Follow European Society of Cardiology News on LinkedIn:
https://www.escardio.org/The-ESC/Press-Office/Press-releases/%E2%80%AF%E2%80%AF%20https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/european-society-of-cardiology-news/?viewAsMember=true
References:
[1] EU 27 Cardiovascular Realities 2025, ESC. https://www.escardio.org/Research/ESC-Atlas-of-cardiology.
Funding Acknowledgment:
Cities@Heart is proudly supported by the Innovative Health Initiative Joint Undertaking (IHI JU) under grant agreement No 101219389. The JU is backed by the European Union's Horizon Europe program and various industry partners.
Disclaimer:
The views expressed are solely those of the authors and do not represent the mentioned parties' official positions. These parties bear no responsibility for the expressed opinions.
Participating Cities and Institutions:
Municipalities:
- Utrecht, Netherlands
- Łódź, Poland
- Izmir, Turkey
- Udine, Italy
- Birmingham, UK
- Belfast, UK
- Cork, Ireland
Academic Partners:
- University Medical Center Utrecht
- University of Birmingham
- University of Antwerp
- London School of Economics
- University College Cork
- University of Crete
- University of Udine
- Ege University
- Queen's University Belfast
- Polish Memorial Hospital Research Institute
Professional Health Organisations:
- World Heart Federation
- World Health Organization
- European Heart Network
- European Public Health Association
- European Society of Cardiology
- HL7 Europe
Private Organisations:
- Novartis
- NovoNordisk
- Wavy Assistant B.V.
- Collaborate Project Management
- Health Service Executive
- Huawei
- Servier
- Menarini
- Daichii Sankyo
