Leuven has become the first Belgian and European city to officially join the CARDIO4Cities network, established by the Novartis Foundation.
On Saturday, Mayor Mohamed Ridouani and Federal Minister Frank Vandenbroucke formally signed the network’s charter and participated in a hands-on resuscitation exercise immediately afterwards.
Globally, cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death. In Belgium, they account for nearly one in four fatalities, with more than 200 annual deaths in Leuven alone.
Studies reveal that nearly half of Belgians underestimate these risks, even though up to 80% of cardiovascular-related deaths are avoidable. Factors like stress, smoking, obesity, high blood pressure, and elevated cholesterol are critical to address.
By joining CARDIO4Cities—alongside cities such as New York, Dakar, São Paulo, and Singapore—Leuven is strengthening its commitment to improving heart health.
“HARTstad Leuven represents a groundbreaking approach to heart health,” said Dr Ann Aerts, Head of the Novartis Foundation. “It is tailored to neighbourhoods, driven by practical data, and focuses on collaboration. The goal is to enhance residents’ heart health and develop citywide policies through our project partners.”
In other cities within the network, blood pressure checks increased by three to six times, and strokes and heart attacks decreased by 3–13% within two years of joining.
