Healthcare gains ‘being wiped out’

Smoking and alcohol consumption in Ireland could undo many of the health gains achieved in recent years, a report from the Department of Health has warned.

Death from circulatory diseases, including heart disease and stroke, fell by almost 36% between 2002 and 2011 and there was an 8% decrease in cancer death rates. Cancer survival rates are over 2% above the EU average.

Mortality from circulatory system diseases is now virtually the same as that for cancer — it was 50% higher 10 years ago and 100% higher 20 years ago.