Health to drive economic revival: AMA

STATE, Territory and Federal Governments are being urged to boost health spending to help avoid a prolonged recession, by newly elected Australian Medical Association (AMA) President, Dr Omar Khorshid.

Addressing the AMA National Conference over the weekend, Khorshid said he was “putting governments on notice it is time to spend, and not cut health”.

“Nations that adopt austerity and neglect health spending during recessions have taken longer to return to economic growth, and their populations have been sicker,” he said.

“Yet where nations have increased health expenditure or directed stimulus funding to health care needs, their economies recover faster and populations have been healthier.”