Rooney Calls for Greater Support for Public Health Programs
According to today’s Philadelphia Inquirer, Pennsylvania ranks 39th among the 50 states in funding for public health programs. That means our pandemic and biopreparedness programs are underfunded, our efforts to prevent foodborne illness are not as robust as they should be, and awareness for chronic diseases is at an all-time low.
Chronic health conditions like obesity and respiratory disease are too prevalent in the 195th district. Nearly every day we are confronted with news about another contaminated food product in our restaurants or supermarkets. Markets with fresh produce and meats need to replace convenience stores and fast food restaurants. Studies show that rates of illnesses including diabetes and heart disease go way down in neighborhoods with supermarkets. It is imperative for legislators from Philadelphia to maintain support for the Pennsylvania Fresh Food Financing Initiative, which works to bring supermarkets to underserved neighborhoods.
Pennsylvania’s public health infrastructure is so outdated that we do not even qualify for all of the federal money that is available for public health programs. This disservice to our citizens is unacceptable. Even in tough economic times, state government needs to have the resources to protect public health. As your state representative, I will fight tirelessly to ensure that our public health agencies are modernized and supported.
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