Health chiefs were celebrating today after receiving a major cash boost to help tackle Bradford's biggest killer.

Bradford, Calderdale and Kirklees health authorities are to receive a slice of £10 million of Government funding to help coronary heart disease services across the country.

More than £370,000 is to go to Bradford Health Authority - enough to cover proposed projects such as trained CHD nurses in GP practices, a home heating and energy scheme to reduce deaths during winter, and raising awareness amongst men. Disadvantaged areas will also be targeted with keep fit projects and improved access to services.

In 1998, 90 out of every 100,000 people in the district died from heart disease compared to the national figure of 79.

Bradford Health Authority's Director of Public Health, Dr Dee Kyle, said it was excellent news for the district.

"Not only does Bradford need to catch up with the rest of the country, but within the district itself there are tremendous inequalities in levels of CHD," she said.

"The most deprived areas of the district have levels of CHD four times higher than the more affluent parts. This funding will take us a long way towards making those levels more equal and bringing the whole district more in line with the rest of the country."

Schemes in Calderdale and Kirklees to receive cash include 2,000 people from ethnic minorities being trained in CHD life skills and 2,200 smokers being offered help to quit.

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