Mayor Bloomberg will take to the world stage next week when he speaks at a once-in-a-decade health conference sponsored by the United Nations, it was disclosed yesterday.
The “High Level Meeting on Non-communicable Diseases” — addressing maladies from cancer to diabetes — is only the second of its type since 2001.
“The UN is meeting to draw attention to these problems,” said Dr. Thomas Farley, the city’s health commissioner. “Here in New York City, we have solutions.”
The city has even prepared a 24-page booklet listing the health initiatives launched under Bloomberg that will be distributed at the meeting Tuesday.
“To download in Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish, visit nyc.gov,” instructs the booklet’s opening page.
In a joint appearance yesterday, the mayor and Farley portrayed New York City as a pioneer in health initiatives that can serve as models around the nation and the world.
The city’s list of accomplishments include: forcing restaurant chains to post calorie information; restricting trans fats in food establishments; reducing the smoking rate; and promoting physical activity through biking and recreation in newly created open spaces.
“They work, and many cost little or nothing to implement,” said Farley.