Welcome back after the long weekend. I hope you all had a safe and happy Easter and set some time aside to rest and relax. It is wonderful we were able to come together this year to celebrate with family and friends.
Please find the latest updates from Western Victoria PHN below.
World Health Day 2021: Building a Fairer, Healthier World for Everyone
Today (7 April) is World Health Day and the World Health Organisation (WHO) is calling for action to eliminate health inequities, as part of a year-long global campaign to bring people together to build a fairer, healthier world.
It is pleasing to know Australia is investing in and supporting the Gavi COVAX Facility Advance Market Commitment (COVAX AMC) to improve access for Pacific and Southeast Asian countries to safe, effective and affordable COVID-19 vaccines.
Pacific countries eligible for COVAX AMC support include Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu and Kiribati. Eligible countries from Southeast Asia are Indonesia, Timor-Leste, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, The Philippines and Vietnam.
Please read the recent media releases below for updated information on the roll-out:
Draft National Prevention Strategy
The Draft National Preventive Health Strategy represents very encouraging progress for planning future healthcare in Australia. This is a reminder the draft is still open for feedback until 19 April.
To submit feedback, please visit the Department of Health website or provide any feedback to WVPHN via info@westvicphn.com.au as Nic Brayshaw our Prevention Clinical Lead will be developing a WVPHN response.
World Parkinson’s Day
This Sunday, 11 April, is World Parkinson’s Day and we encourage you to help increase awareness and support the 100,000 Australian’s, including 27,000 people in Victoria, living with the disease. Health professionals are encouraged to visit the Parkinson’s Victoria website for more information or the Parkinson’s Disease HealthPathways page.
Western Victoria PHN (WVPHN) is proud to be partnering with Parkinson’s Victoria to deliver a pilot project that aims to give specialised care for people living with movement disorders in the Great South Coast and Wimmera Grampians regions.
WVPHN and Parkinson’s Victoria received federal government funding of $1.69 million for projects that deliver better health outcomes for the community in partnership with South West Healthcare, Wimmera Health Care Group, Rural Northwest Health and Grampians Community Health.
The ‘Western Region Movement Disorder Better Care’ pilot ($1.69 million over four years across western Victoria) will aim to deliver accessible specialised care for people living with movement disorders including Parkinson’s disease in rural and remote western Victoria where a prevalence cluster has been identified.
Rowena Clift
Chief Executive Officer