Misuse of Public Health Money a False Economy

Friday 19 October 2007

In response to the misuse of public health funding highlighted by the Association of Directors of Public Health, Yusef Azad, Director of Policy and campaigns at the National AIDS Trust said:

“We are dismayed at the amount of money taken from public health to fund the short-term financial crisis in the NHS.

"The £100 million highlighted by the Association of Directors of Public Health is, however, only the tip of the iceberg as there has been significant under-investment in both HIV prevention and wider public health for some time now. It is the worst of false economies, storing up ill-health for the future.
 
“The Government must look again at how public health is funded. If we are to act against HIV as well as obesity, smoking and alcohol abuse, we must protect and ring-fence these funds.”

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Contact Katherine Sladden, Communications Officer at the National AIDS Trust  on 020 7814 6733 /  07891 315 322

Notes to the Editor:

The National AIDS Trust (NAT) is the UK's leading independent policy and campaigning voice on HIV and AIDS. It develops policies and campaigns to halt the spread of HIV and improve the quality of life of people affected by HIV, both in the UK and internationally.