Lung Foundation Australia welcomes the release of the National Preventive Health Strategy today, outlining the overarching, long-term approach to prevention in Australia over the next 10 years. We are particularly pleased to see a focus on increasing investment in prevention and a clear target set to reduce chronic disease risk factors by 2030.
With 1 in 3 Australians impacted by a lung disease or lung cancer – the second biggest killer in the country - Lung Foundation Australia remains focused on prevention through evidence-based programs and education on the risks, symptoms, and proactive preventative measures that all Australians can take to protect their lung health.
Lung Foundation Australia Chief Executive Officer, Mr Mark Brooke, said the COVID-19 pandemic has made us more aware than ever of the impact lung health can have, and highlights the importance of investing in proactive steps to protect lung health.
“Many Australians don’t realise that lung health is impacted by a range of factors, including climate change and air quality, tobacco and e-cigarettes, as well as exercise, diet and access to quality health care.
”Lung Foundation Australia has championed programs and policy that address these core issues, and continues to advocate for action to address e-cigarettes, smoking cessation, air quality, lung cancer screening, occupational lung disease, and access to exercise programs for Australians with lung disease. These are just a few examples of cost-effective preventive health measures that contribute to not just individual’s health and well-being but also our national economy and bottom line.
“The National Preventive Health Strategy can also help Australia take great steps forward by closing the gap for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities who are significantly over-represented in lung disease, lung cancer and other chronic illnesses.
“We are also encouraged by The Hon Greg Hunt MP’s commitment to finalise the National Tobacco Strategy early in 2022,” Mr Brooke said.
Lung Foundation Australia looks forward to the development of the National Preventive Health Strategy’s detailed Blueprint for Action. We believe it is critical that the Blueprint for Acton aligns with the Department of Health’s National Strategic Action Plan for Lung Conditions. We call on Federal and State / Territory Governments to prioritise funding for the National Preventive Health Strategy and Blueprint for Action, in particular the implementation of the Targeted Lung Cancer Screening Program.
The National Preventive Health Strategy is available from the Department of Health website.