Enhancing health security across our region

Australia is investing in our region's shared health security, drawing on the lessons of COVID-19 to help us be better prepared for the next pandemic.

We are building a series of new partnerships to support our region to better prevent, detect and respond to health emergencies and infectious diseases.

Building the capacity of our region's veterinarians supports rural livelihoods and reduces the risk of disease spillovers from animals into humans. A new $5 million partnership with a consortium led by the University of Sydney will improve training available for veterinary epidemiologists, supporting countries in our region to identify and better respond to disease outbreaks in animals.

An $11 million partnership with the Menzies School of Health Research will help to strengthen disease surveillance in partner countries in Southeast Asia, including greater support to monitor antimicrobial resistance, a serious global health threat.

The package also includes $16 million to support the development of new treatments for neglected tropical diseases through the Australian not-for-profit biopharmaceutical company Medicines Development for Global Health.

The new partnerships are part of the Australian Government's five-year Partnerships for a Healthy Region initiative, which is working with partner countries to build resilient, equitable and inclusive health systems.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator the Hon Penny Wong:

“We are drawing on Australia's expertise to support our region to better prepare for, and respond to, health security threats including animal and human disease outbreaks.

“These new partnerships will support governments across the Pacific and Southeast Asia to build more resilient, effective health systems, which is critical to ensuring our shared prosperity and security.”

Quotes attributable to Minister for International Development and the Pacific, the Hon Pat Conroy MP:
 

“Australia's investment will support partners across the Pacific and Southeast Asia to ensure they have the right foundations in place to prepare for, and respond to, future disease outbreaks.”