THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE HEALTHY CITIES PROJECT IN DEVELOPING-COUNTRIES - LESSONS FROM CHITTAGONG

This paper uses the case of Chittagong, Bangladesh to illustrate the p roblems of implementing the Healthy Cities Project of the World Health Organisation in developing countries and makes recommendations to res olve them, The paper presents findings of the evaluation of the Chitta gong Healthy City Project, which was carried out in late 1994. The eva luation was based on internationally generated process indicators rela ted to the institutional aspects of the Project.The issues here analys ed may be useful as an initial check-list for detecting problems in fo rthcoming Projects.(1) These issues include: (i) the appropriateness o f the institutional organisation of the local authorities; (ii) concep tual understanding about the Project among the existing institutions ( and the Project's members); (iii) existence of legislation that would make the activities of the Project officially legitimate; (iv) existen ce of a public authority with enough power to co-ordinate the process of urban development; (v) co-operation between different layers of gov ernment; (vi) co-ordination/co-operation between the ministries which have agencies operating in the city; (vii) the Project's office capaci ty to stimulate and build co-operation and to co-ordinate ongoing acti vities; (viii) the implementation of internationally funded projects i n co-ordination with existing activities; and (ix) the degree of commu nity organisation.