KOBE鈥檚 city council and businesses are to spend $60 million over the next ten years building and staffing a research centre for the WHO. The decision to build the Centre for Health Development was taken in 1991, although work on the project had not begun before last month鈥檚 devastating earthquake.
The WHO says the centre will focus on the delivery of healthcare in an increasingly urban world with research into the social, economic, environmental and demographic factors of health.
鈥淢aybe the centre will help with the restructuring of the city because it will give people something to look forward to,鈥� says a WHO spokeswoman.
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The centre is the first in a planned worldwide network of similar centres. It will have a WHO staff of at least ten people whose salaries will be paid for by funds raised locally.
鈥淭he funds had already been allocated before the earthquake,鈥� says the WHO spokeswoman.