Sir, - It would appear that at last health prevention issues are surfacing in a serious and meaningful manner. Not before time. However, the knowledge that has accumulated on the prevention of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases and on the many forms of cancer has not been applied in a serious way by successive Irish governments. There is clear evidence available which, if applied in a constructive manner could reduce morbidity and mortality, for example, in pulmonary and large bowel cancer. Accolades are, time and again, offered to heart surgeons, and rightly so; but with proper active prevention of coronary artery disease their workload could be halved in 20 years (Finland is a classic example).
I would like to suggest that home economics as a subject in schools should now be changed to health economics. The Departments of Health and Education could jointly draw up a programme of teaching and standards aided by a panel of health experts.
If health economics is introduced in schools the rewards in the long term could be enormous in both health and economic terms. While it is gratifying to witness the extra appointments of oncologists and heart surgeons, this is not the solution. - Yours, etc.,
Dr Niall G. O'Brien, FRCPI, Sandymount, Dublin 4.