In this blog we will cover the country that is known for having Koalas and Kangaroos! Australia! Not only are they known for having cute animals, but for being a country that takes health seriously and is considered to be one of the countries that has a rather healthy population. Although, having a healthy population is great, there is always room for improvement; which is why we will be talking about the different strategies they have to improve SDG 3 health and well-being. To begin, Australia is a member of the World Health Organization. Australia supports the right for everyone to have access to health regardless of who is requesting it. The first item they would like to address is the gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians and non- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. It is estimated that “Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians have a life expectancy about 10 years shorter than non-Indigenous Australians.” (Australian SDGs Hub for Business) In order to decrease this gap, they have created the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan. This plan is to help those who need medical attention as well as inform them about health and hopefully increase the life expectancy. Other measures they have taken is having bare packaging for their tobacco products. This has resulted in a decrease in daily smoking, in 2003 it dropped to 22.3% and in 2014-2015 it dropped down to 14.7%. They have also developed a vaccine called the “Human Papillomavirus vaccine, a vital step forward in women’s health.” (Sustainable Development, 2018.) They would also like to target non-communicable diseases such as obesity, harmful consumption of alcohol, and physical inactivity. Because of this, they have created the Australian Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance. This campaign creates programs and promotes them, helping the community learn about all of these diseases and how to prevent them; or if they have any of these conditions how to look after themselves. 
To keep monitor this SDG and other SDG’s they have created an online SDG platform, which tracks national progress. “The site titled, 'Transforming Australia,' houses a collection of data with an emphasis on the Goals and indicators most relevant to Australia.” (SDG Knowledgeable Hub, 2018.) It is not clear how much they plan to invest, but they have already funded 10 billion dollars per year since 2016 to assist in housing. It is estimated that 25% of the people being helped by this fund have mental health issues. Among other things that are affecting Australians health and well-being is climate change. Australia has intense and frequent heatwaves which affects the health of many. They have created a strategy called “Urban greening which is one low-cost strategy authorities have identified that has considerable benefits for the environment, economy and the health and wellbeing of residents.” (Sustainable Development, 2018.) The resources that they have in order to reach this goal consist of different organizations such as beyondblue and lifeline Australia, a mental health first aid also known as MHFA. They also have a global fund to fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria, it is known as the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The SDG 3 is currently being addressed by Australia and it is considered a priority.
Sources:
Sustainable Development. (2018). Report on the implementation of the sustainable development goals [PDF file]. Retrieved from
Australian SDGs Hub For Business. (n.d.). Retrieved from
Iisd. (n.d.). Australias SDG Portal Targets Transformative Change: News: SDG Knowledge Hub: IISD. Retrieved from
Images:
Gleeson, J. (n.d.). Design a vector map packed with creatures and landmarks. Retrieved from
Mental Health First Aid Training. (2019, September 30). Retrieved from
Hi Litza! Thank you for sharing your post on Australia with us. I had actually researched this country for one of my prior blogs but still learned so much from your work. I was happy to learn that Australia has created a Standard Development Goal platform online that accurately tracks their progress. Not only that but it is great to see that they have already funded 10 billion dollars per year to assist in housing. I was also thrilled to see that they have a Mental Health First Aid program. I feel as though this is so rare but important. This can make such a big difference and with hopefully help Australia in the future. Overall, you post was so well thought out and I really appreciated your work!
ReplyDeleteHi Litza,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your post! It seems like Australia is handling their SDG # 3 pretty well. From their National Health Plan to their Chronic Disease Alliance, I can tell that achieving overall health and well-being is one of their top priorities. I think its great that as a result of them having bare packaging for their tobacco products, their smoking rates have dropped down quite a bit. I think that it is important that they are targeting obesity, consumption of alcohol, and physical inactivity as well. Also, its great to see that they have funded 10 billion dollars to assist in housing for those who are in need, as well as funding towards mental health issues. I really think that Australia is on the right track to overall achieving their goal for SDG 3. Hopefully they will keep up the good work!
Hello Litza,
ReplyDeleteMy fiance has friends in Australia and it is our goal to visit within the next couple of years. One thing she and I have always talked about is, as you mentioned, how healthy and in shape Australians seem to be. I'm not sure if they are involved in more outdoor activities or what over there. It is interesting that the Aboriginal Australians are not as healthy as others. You did a really good job reporting on Australia and it kept me interested!