The Government has confirmed that Professor Kevin Fenton will be leading the inquiry into the disproportionate impact of the coronavirus on BAME communities in the UK
THE PROFESSOR first joined Public Health England (PHE) in 2012, having previously held executive positions at the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and the Health Protection Agency. He attended Wolmer’s Boys School in Kingston, Jamaica and later went on to study medicine at the University of the West Indies Mona campus.
He has over 20 years’ experience in public health medicine and epidemiology and is the Visiting Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health at University College London with research interests in HIV/STI prevention, sexual behaviour, health inequalities, and migration and health.
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Over the last couple of weeks, several prominent BAME community activists, local councillors and MPs have urged the Government to examine why the disease was having a disproportionate impact on BAME communities.
At a recent Downing Street briefing, Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said the government understands the anxiety that people from black and minority ethnic (BAME) communities feel about the impact that coronavirus appears to be having.
In the same briefing, The Voice had questioned Steve Powis, National Medical Director for NHS England, about the precise nature of the inquiry, who would be leading the inquiry and when it was expected to take place.
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Downing Street has also confirmed that Prof Fenton will report directly to the Chief Medical Officer and will engage with various stakeholders across BAME communities during the inquiry.
In addition, funding has been made available for independent academic research through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). For more information visit www.nihr.ac.uk/covid-19.
Today’s announcement is a positive move by the government as it looks to tackle the concerns raised by the community and ensure a transparent and comprehensive review.
Source: voice-online.co.uk