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Savings in President's Budget Undercut By Reductions in DiseasePrevention, Health Promotion, Says American Public Health Association

Posted on: Monday, 7 February 2005, 18:00 CST

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The American Public Health Association (APHA) said proposed savings as outlined today in President Bush's budget are severely undercut by the administration's failure to adequately invest in disease prevention and health promotion activities.

"While controlling federal spending is critical, the administration's failure to adequately invest in prevention means that any perceived short-term savings will result in greater health and medical expenditures in the long-term," said Georges C. Benjamin, MD, FACP, executive director of APHA. "It's like owning a car, but never taking it in for service. Without prevention, catastrophic failure is imminent."

Cuts to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are emblematic of the administration's shortsighted approach. Under the president's plan the agency loses $550 million. While the nation's top three causes of death are chronic diseases -- heart disease, cancer and stroke, the president cuts CDC's chronic disease prevention and health promotion program by 6.5 percent, or $60 million. Savings are achieved chiefly by eliminating the proven- effective VERB program, which promotes physical activity to reduce childhood obesity and related disease. He also eliminates the preventive health services block grant, which is used by states to address urgent health problems.

Other shortcomings identified by APHA include a 64 percent cut to a program for training nurses, dentists and other health professionals through the Health Resources and Services Administration and a proposal to cut bioterrorism preparedness funding 12.6 percent.

"There is no doubt that the bioterrorism funding of the last few years has strengthened the nation's preparedness capability and our ability to deliver public health services," said Benjamin. "But after suffering decades of neglect, cuts will jeopardize the initial progress we made. Funding must be sustained to rebuild our public health system and to better protect Americans."

While APHA opposes many proposed cuts, the association also identified positive developments in the presidents budget. Among the proposals, APHA applauds the following:

-- Community health centers received an increase of 17.5 percent to $2 billion. The increase would be congruent with the president's goal of putting a clinic in every poor county in the nation, allowing an additional 2.4 million Americans to receive care from such institutions.

-- HIV/AIDS prevention and care received added funding. CDC's' global health activities were increased by 4.2 percent, which includes work on AIDS. Also, the president proposes reauthorizing the Ryan White CARE Act and increasing the program by $10 million.

-- Influenza vaccine supply, manufacturing and safety were slated for an increase. Specifically $120 million is proposed to increase flu vaccine manufacturing capacity and to purchase vaccine, a 21 percent boost.

The American Public Health Association, the oldest organization of public health professionals, represents more than 50,000 members from over 50 public health occupations. More information is available at http://www.apha.org.

http://www.usnewswire.com

Source: U.S. Newswire

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