High cost of living due to pandemic ushers in another major health emergency

By bellecarter // 2023-03-23

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Health authorities in the United Kingdom have warned that the soaring cost of living caused by the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is ushering in another major health emergency. During the recently concluded virtual Annual Public Health Conference, the Local Government Association (LGA) and the Association of Directors of Public Health (ADPH) said the skyrocketing prices of essential food items and energy are having significant health consequences. "Cost of living pressures has the greatest impact on people who are least equipped to deal with financial challenges, but also extends to a far larger population who would normally be able to manage without support," the report stated. According to the report, uncertainty about the direction of public health policy has become a major concern for public health directors. "Councils have been doing what they can to help, bringing together partners from the NHS [National Health Service] and voluntary sector to support those who need it the most. Building on the experience of the pandemic, public health is at the forefront of each local response," the report said. It stressed that public health services, which are crucial in helping to relieve the pressure on the health care system, continue to face challenging financial circumstances.

ADPH slams government as public health grants are "far too little, far too late"

In February, the ADPH blasted the government as the £3.53 billion ($4.35 billion) public health grant for 2023-24 would not suffice to properly fund services. During the recent health conference, David Fothergill, chairman of the LGA's Community Wellbeing Board called on the government to provide long-term funding increases to public health services. "Last week, new public health grant allocations were published and yet again we find ourselves in an untenable position, without adequate funding," said Jim McManus, ADPH president and director of Public Health for Hertfordshire. "'Sadly, these cuts are counterproductive and, despite our best efforts, will inevitably result in vital services being reduced at a time when existing health inequalities have been further exacerbated by the rising cost of living." McManus said money was not enough to make up for years of funding reductions, despite the ministers' claim that the allocations have a 3.3 percent cash term increase. Some public health services would still have to be cut even though there was strong evidence for their impact and effectiveness. "With little over two weeks to go until the start of the financial year the public health grant announcement is, once again, far too little, far too late," he said earlier in the year. According to the Health Foundation, an independent charity for health care, while the money would protect the grant in real terms in 2023-24, it would still be £1 billion ($1.23 billion) a year lower than initial allocations in 2015-16 at a time when a growing number of working age people were reporting ill health as a reason for being unable to work. (Related: Review: Everything WHO does goes AGAINST the principles of public health.) Visit Pandemic.news for more stories related to the economic repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic and health mandates. Watch the video below where World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declares that COVID-19 is going to end as public health emergency this year. This video is from the Puretrauma357 channel on Brighteon.com.

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ADPH slams government as public health grants are "far too little, far too late"

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