MEDIA RELEASE
Released By:
Downer
Today I have launched the Australian Government's new overseas aid health policy: Helping Health Systems Deliver.
This underlies our commitment to significantly increase health expenditure over the next five years, boosting health systems in the Asia-Pacific region and improving the treatment and prevention of illness and disease for millions of people.
Increasing our investment in people through initiatives such as improved healthcare is a key platform of the White Paper on aid that I launched earlier this year.
In developing countries across our region around 100 times less is spent per person on health care than in Australia, and life expectancy is significantly lower.
The Australian Government, through its international aid agency AusAID, will strengthen the policy, planning and management mechanisms that underpin health systems and improve the training of health workers - all practical steps in breaking the cycle of poverty and disease.
Priority will be given to the health needs of women and children, including reproductive health, nutrition and childhood diseases.
Women in many countries across the Asia-Pacific are 50 times more likely to die in pregnancy or childbirth than women in Australia, making quality reproductive health care, skilled birth attendants and emergency care a key objective.
Our programs provide a range of measures to combat the spread of diseases that cripple developing countries from the simple and inexpensive distribution of insecticide-treated bed-nets and drugs, while the threat of emerging diseases such as a possible influenza pandemic require an integrated approach across borders.
Investing in health has some of the highest returns of any development assistance - in both human and economic terms.
Media inquiries:
Tony Parkinson (Minister's Office) (02) 6277 7500
AusAID (Public Affairs) 0417 680 590