• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

Local Health Departments Lack Necessary Funding to Protect Health

Posted on: Tuesday, 7 February 2006, 09:00 CST

LANSING, Mich., Feb. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Dysentery, smallpox, typhoid. These diseases, while terrifying to citizens at the turn of the 20th century, are foreign-sounding words to modern Americans -- due largely to the efforts and achievements of public health departments.

"Public health's incredible success at eliminating many of the infectious diseases of the past has, unfortunately, allowed us to forget that threats still exist," said Kimberly Singh, President of the Michigan Association for Local Public Health (MALPH). "And while the health and life expectancy of U.S. citizens have improved dramatically since 1900, the world is beginning to face new and re-emerging health threats such as pandemic influenza -- threats that remind us we live in a global community and disease can spread quickly if we aren't prepared."

In recent years, funding to local health departments in Michigan has been eroding. The impact of some of these cuts was lessened temporarily by the receipt of federal bioterrorism and emergency preparedness grants, but these dollars are beginning to erode, as well.

A recent survey of Michigan's 45 local health departments, conducted by MALPH, found that most local health departments' communicable disease activities need reinforcements in terms of people, equipment, and training. The survey found that an additional $5 million was needed in order to assure that local health departments in every part of the state would have the essential capacities necessary to adequately protect their communities from communicable disease.

Each year, local health departments respond to more than 450,000 cases of infectious disease including influenza, AIDS/HIV, tuberculosis, hepatitis, meningitis, E. coli, salmonella and more. "These diseases impact Michigan's citizens, students, families and businesses," said Singh. "We need to be sure that policy makers and the general public are aware of the current realities and challenges faced by Michigan's local health departments."

Over the past two weeks, testimony has been provided by local health departments to the House Health Policy and Agriculture Committees. Local public health leaders have described in detail the shortfalls that exist in Michigan's ability to prevent, respond to and contain the spread of communicable diseases, such as pandemic influenza. While the testimony did include financial concerns, it also addressed the need for changes in policy and law to assure that the State of Michigan has the tools it needs to assist local health departments in responding to communicable disease challenges.

"Local health departments are committed to protecting our citizens and communities," said Singh. "But in order to continue to do this effectively, we need reinforcements -- and we need them soon."

The Michigan Association for Local Public Health represents Michigan's 45 local public health departments which provide a wide array of public health services in Michigan's 83 counties.

Media Contacts: Mark J. Bertler, 517-485-0660

Kim Singh, 989-831-3614

First Call Analyst: FCMN Contact:

Michigan Association for Local Public Health

CONTACT: Mark J. Bertler, +1-517-485-0660, or Kim Singh,+1-989-831-3614, both of Michigan Association for Local Public Health

Web site: http://www.malph.org/

Source: PRNewswire

More News in this Category