While in Geneva to advance Australia’s interests at the World Health Organization’s (WHO) World Health Assembly, the Minister for Health and Aged Care, Mark Butler, has announced Australia will invest $5 million over the next four years to help prevent rheumatic heart disease across the Pacific.
Minister Butler made the announcement at an assembly side event jointly convened by the World Heart Federation (WHF) and Australia’s National Heart Foundation, with the support of the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) and Telethon Kids Institute.
Rheumatic heart disease is one of the most common forms of preventable heart disease in the region. It is caused by damage to heart valves caused by rheumatic fever, can be difficult to diagnose, and treatment is not always available.
To tackle this problem, Australia is supporting a new partnership between the University of Western Australia, Telethon Kids Institute, Pacific governments and experts.
The partnership will work with governments and health partners in Vanuatu and Solomon Islands to prevent and control rheumatic heart disease.
It will also establish a new Knowledge Hub for rheumatic heart disease in Fiji. The hub will draw on expertise from across the region, to collect, house and share technical advice and resources to help combat the condition across the Pacific.
Drawing on Australia’s experience, the partnership will collaborate with Champions4Change, an advocacy and leadership program for Aboriginal and Torres Islander peoples with lived experience of rheumatic heart disease, to share their valuable expertise with the Pacific.
This partnership is funded through the Australian Government’s $620 million Partnerships for a Healthy Region initiative which supports countries in the Pacific and Southeast Asia to build resilient, equitable and inclusive health systems.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Health and Aged Care, the Hon Mark Butler MP:
“Rheumatic heart disease is a preventable disease – and a shared challenge in Australia and Pacific island countries.
“We are proud to build linkages between Australia and Fiji, Vanuatu and Solomon Islands, working with leading rheumatic heart disease organisations to save lives.”
Quotes attributable to Minister for International Development and the Pacific, the Hon Pat Conroy MP:
“This partnership will build expertise that can be shared across the region, to ensure people with rheumatic heart disease can be diagnosed as soon as possible and receive the best possible care.”
“Supporting strong health systems and equitable access to health care is critical to sustainable development, and underpins our Partnerships for a Healthy Region initiative.
“Under our new international development policy, we are building two-way partnerships of Australian and Pacific expertise to respond to the region's most pressing challenges.”