To mark Coeliac Awareness Week, Greens spokesperson for Health Hon Alison Xamon MLC has renewed her call to the Government to immediately reinstate funding to Coeliac WA.
Ms Xamon said the peak body for people diagnosed with coeliac disease – around one in 70 in Western Australia – had a proven track record in successful preventative health care, a key recommendation in the Sustainable Health Review, which was released last month.
She said the organisation lost some important core funding as part of Government cuts in June 2017, resulting in the loss of its manager and a winding back of its services.
“We know that the effects of poor management of conditions like coeliac disease mean people are not able to live full and productive lives,” Ms Xamon said.
“It means that the Government will spend more in the long-run as people end up in our expensive hospital system.
“I remain very concerned that Coeliac WA, as well as a number of other community-based self-help services are being denied what are peanuts in terms of funding.
“These services are so important and I call on the Government to reconsider its ill-thought out decision to de-fund Coeliac WA.”
