The Morrison Government will invest $5.9 million on cancer prevention among women in vulnerable communities across the world through the Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases (GACD).
\nFunded through the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), three of the four projects will support research to implement cervical cancer screening in India, Papua New Guinea and Eswatini.
\nFunding is also committed to allow SISTAQUIT (Supporting Indigenous Smokers to Assist Quitting) to expand its free, online training in quit smoking methods to all Australian health services catering to Indigenous women during pregnancy.
\nMinister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt, said the projects would help women across the globe and here at home.
\n\u201cCervical cancer is highly preventable but, according to the World Health Organisation, poor access to prevention, screening and treatment contributes to 90 per cent of cervical cancer related deaths,\u201d Minister Hunt said.
\n\u201cThese projects will support improved health outcomes here and across our region, helping to both save lives and protect lives.\u201d
\nAustralia, through the NHMRC, is a founding member of the GACD, the first international collaboration of major research funding agencies that specifically addresses chronic non-communicable diseases in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and in vulnerable communities in high-income countries (HICs).
\nNHMRC CEO Professor Anne Kelso, who is a member of the GACD Strategy Board and past chair, said NHMRC\u2019s participation in the GACD provided an important opportunity for Australian researchers to help reduce the burden of chronic diseases in vulnerable communities around the world.
\n\u201cBy working with other international funding agencies through the GACD, we can amplify our impact on non-communicable diseases in the communities that are most affected and have least access to the advances of modern medicine,\u201d Professor Kelso said.
\n\u201cThis is more important than ever today as chronic diseases can increase the risk of severe illness from COVID-19.\u201d
\nIn 2015, 2017 and 2018, NHMRC provided a total of $14.7 million in funding through GACD for research on prevention or management of hypertension and diabetes, mental disorders and chronic lung disorders.<\/p>\n