APHA Warns of Tremendous Health Consequences to Dramatic Cuts to the Prevention and Public Health Fund

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Washington, D.C., December 13, 2011 -- The AmericanPublic Health Association urges the U.S. House of Representatives to reject a proposalthat would drastically cut the Prevention and Public Health Fund.

“Dramaticcuts to the Prevention and Public Health Fund is a lose-lose solution. Movingthe current health care system even farther downstream by repealing criticallyneeded investments in prevention and public health programs would be absolutelydevastating to the nation’s health. It would also place a greater financial burdenon an already strained system,” said Alan Baker, interim executive director ofAPHA. “This is a senseless and purely raw political move.”
 
ThePrevention and Public Health Fund represents an unprecedented investment ofmandatory funding for public health and prevention efforts. The fund supportsefforts to prevent, promote early detection, and reduce the severity of chronicdiseases, which now account for 7 of 10 deaths in Americansevery year. The fund is designated to build capacity of state and local healthdepartments in communities across the country to make sure water is safe todrink and to protect the public from infectious diseases and outbreaks of food-borneillnesses.
 
“Today’sproposed cuts would effectively pull the rug out from under local communities wherewe’re already seeing critical public health funding at work,” said Baker. “Wecall on the House to not let shortsighted political wrangling take precedenceover improving Americans’ health.”
 
ThisThursday, APHA will be co-sponsoring an advocacy day on Capitol Hill to urgemembers of Congress to protect the Prevention and Public Health Fund.
 
Today’sproposal also threatens to suspend a ruling by the U.S. EnvironmentalProtection to significantly reduce toxic air pollutants such as mercury andsoot emitted by industrial boilers and incinerators. APHA believes theseimportant air quality standards would provide critically important and longoverdue public health protections and must be finalized.Readthe letter APHA sent to the House today opposing the Middle Class Tax Reliefand Job Creation Act (H.R. 3630).
Founded in 1872, the APHA is the oldest, largest and most diverse organization of public health professionals in the world. The association aims to protect all Americans and their communities from preventable, serious health threats and strives to assure community-based health promotion and disease prevention activities and preventive health services are universally accessible in the United States . APHA represents a broad array of health providers, educators, environmentalists, policy-makers and health officials at all levels working both within and outside governmental organizations and educational institutions. More information is available at www.apha.org.
News Source : APHA warns of tremendous health consequences to dramatic cuts to the Prevention and Public Health Fund