Washington, D.C., February 1, 2010
— The American Public Health Association today welcomed proposed increases to some of the nation’s public health programs in the president’s budget, but noted that the proposal falls short of the mark for others.
“The president has invested wisely in several key initiatives to protect the public’s health,” said Georges C. Benjamin, MD, FACP, FACEP (E), executive director of APHA. “We are pleased to see increases to strengthen food safety initiatives, expand community health centers and improve global health, including protecting against the spread of infectious disease and other public health threats.”
The Association noted, however, that failure to more adequately invest in the nation’s public health infrastructure, including funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was a missed opportunity.
“We certainly understand that fiscal belt tightening is important given the current economic environment,” said Benjamin. “But increasing investment in community-based prevention and in CDC’s core public health programs could pay dividends in better health and quality of life for generations to come.
“We look forward to working with the administration and members of Congress to protect and improve funding for important public health programs,” said Benjamin.