OUR HEALTH PLEDGES TO TACKLE INEQUALITIES
Scottish Greens are highlighting key manifesto pledges aimed at tackling Scotland's health inequalities.
People in the most deprived areas of Scotland are more likely to suffer from poor health and die earlier compared with people in affluent areas.
Key manifesto pledges that would tackle health inequalities include:
-Lifting incomes with policies such as a £10 minimum wage for all by 2020.
-Legislation to bring in Health Inequality Impact Assessments for all significant government policies.
-The creation of a Healthy Challenge Fund to empower communities in the same way as the hugely successful Climate Challenge Fund. The fund could be used to develop healthy eating, walking and cycling projects.
The Scottish Greens are standing in the majority of Scotland's 59 seats. Party membership has surged to almost 9,000.
Glasgow councillor, Dr Martin Bartos, Scottish Green MP candidate for Glasgow North, said:
"Given the huge range of issues contributing to health inequalities, we need a joined up strategy between Scottish and Westminster parliaments and local authorities - that's what the Scottish Greens prescribe. We want to see all major decisions at every level assessed for impact on health inequality.
"We also want to see a community-led approach so that local challenges are tackled through locally inspired projects in the same way the Climate Challenge Fund the Greens helped set up has helped so many communities reduce their carbon footprint.
"Caroline Lucas has shown that electing Green MPs would mean electing strong voices who would speak out for better incomes and against privatisation of health and social services; MPs who make the link between our social environment and good health."