Health, HIV/AIDS & Pandemics

Investing in health helps lay the ground work for skilled and productive populations, and ensures that the poor can expand their range of choices, improve their productivity and participate more fully in society.

Within Australia's immediate region there are a number of areas - such as women's and children's health, domestic violence, HIV/AIDS, malaria and the quality of health education - in which progress is either slow or negative and the need for action is compelling.

Australia is strengthening national health systems and tackling major diseases like HIV/AIDS, malaria and potential pandemics.

Strengthening national health systems

Australia helps countries develop better quality, cost effective and community focused health systems that are sustainable and that lead to better health outcomes in the long term.

Australia's aid program focuses on simple, cost-effective methods of prevention and treatment.

We concentrate on helping those people most in need, particularly women and children. There is a strong focus on primary health care and disease prevention and our aid gives emphasis to:

targeting major causes of child and maternal mortality and morbidity
making a strong contribution in the family planning and reproductive health sector on the basis of a voluntary and non-coercive policy
HIV/AIDS prevention and care activities.

The aid program also provides support in areas that underpin good public health systems such as national health policy development and planning, disease surveillance systems, and pharmaceutical supply and regulation.

The lack of functioning health systems constrains the delivery of improved services.

Australia addresses this by supporting health sector reform and management at national and local levels. Support is provided to strengthen service delivery and increase access for the poor to affordable services, including community based health services.

The aid program also helps rebuild health systems in post conflict situations, as in East Timor and the Solomon Islands.

Non-communicable diseases is also a focus of health sector interventions, particularly in the Pacific.

Tackling major diseases

HIV/AIDS

HIV/AIDS remains a major challenge for the world and the Asia-Pacific region. It threatens to reverse years of development and puts at risk the political stability and economic security of developing countries.

HIV/AIDS is more than just a health issue. Addressing HIV/AIDS needs political leadership to mobilise resources in a coordinated way across a broad range of fields.

Australia plays a leadership role in combating the spread of HIV/AIDS in the Asia Pacific region and, through its Global HIV/AIDS Initiative, has committed a total of $1 billion from 2000 to 2010 to combat the HIV pandemic.

See HIV/AIDS: Australia's International Response for details on Australian activities to address the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

Malaria

Malaria is a major health concern in the region. Solomon Islands has the world's highest incidence of malaria, which is also the second biggest killer in PNG.

The burden of disease falls most heavily on young people. Malaria causes enormous human suffering, retards economic and social development, and places severe strain on weak and under-resourced health systems. Left unchecked, malaria could seriously undermine development in the region.

With new technologies, a global donor campaign against malaria, and a much-increased aid program to Solomon Islands, Australia will tackle malaria in Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and other countries with a high malaria burden, in concert with other agencies and regional governments.

Pandemics

If, or when, a pandemic of a new or re-emerging disease breaks out, the economic impact in the region may be devastating, and the demand for humanitarian and development assistance overwhelming.

As a priority, Australia has committed $100 million, announced at APEC in November 2005, to increase assistance for surveillance, quarantine, and outbreak and infection control of avian influenza in the Asia-Pacific region.

Australia has a strong partnership with the World Health Organization and other relevant international organisations, and will assist small developing countries to participate in regional responses to health threats.

Policy framework

Helping Health Systems Deliver: A Policy for Australian Development Assistance in Health guides Australia's activities in the health sector.

Pandemics and Emerging Infectious Diseases Strategy 2006-2010 Outlines the goal, objectives and priorities for Australian aid to combat avian influenza and other emerging infectious diseases.

Meeting the Challenge: Australia's International HIV/AIDS Strategy [PDF 540KB] outlines Australia's international response to meeting the challenge of HIV/AIDS.

The Guide to HIV/AIDS and Development [PDF 588KB] governs activities in the area of HIV/AIDS.

The Guiding Principles for Australian Assistance for Family Planning [PDF 18KB] governs Australia's assistance in the area of family planning.

Family Planning and the Aid Program: A Comprehensive Guide [PDF 45 KB] is the central policy document underpinning the design and implementation of family planning activities. This comprehensive guide has been developed for use by AusAID staff and contractors to ensure family planning activities are of the highest quality.

Report on the Impact of the Asian Economic Crisis on Health provides further information on Australian health aid.

Aid stories and people

Examples of Australia's aid program in action:

Related websites

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2008