Final week was an vital second for public well being in Australia. The brand new legal guidelines that have been handed to create an impartial Australian Centre for Illness Management (CDC), introduced us according to different developed nations. The creation of this impartial physique is information price celebrating.
And whereas the CDC’s first focus shall be on infectious illnesses, this second offers rise to a different query. What extra is also performed in regards to the equally severe persistent circumstances impacting thousands and thousands of Australians?
A wholesome nation is a productive nation. Because the Productiveness Fee finalises its landmark 5 pillars inquiry, one advice stands out as a game-changer: the institution of a Nationwide Prevention Funding Framework. This isn’t only a well being coverage proposal – it’s a productiveness technique. A more healthy inhabitants means a stronger, extra resilient workforce and financial system.
The Fee’s interim report on delivering high quality care extra effectively rightly notes that “stopping issues from beginning or getting worse – notably for susceptible populations – may end up in higher outcomes for people and the group.” The proof is obvious: preventive well being reduces absenteeism, boosts workforce participation, and helps comprise rising healthcare prices.
The AIHW estimates that spending on persistent circumstances totals round $82 billion yearly. But lower than 2% of complete authorities well being spending goes to public well being initiatives like persistent situation prevention and well being promotion. That’s not only a missed alternative – it’s a rising nationwide threat.
This World Diabetes Day (14 November), the Worldwide Diabetes Federation is spotlighting diabetes and the office, encouraging environments that help and empower individuals dwelling with diabetes. It’s a well timed reminder that greater than two million Australians reside with diabetes, and one other two million are vulnerable to sort 2 diabetes – lots of whom are making important contributions throughout each sector of our workforce.
Dwelling with diabetes doesn’t diminish an individual’s potential to thrive at work or in life. With the fitting help – together with entry to versatile work preparations and inclusive office insurance policies – individuals with diabetes can reside properly with the situation and contribute absolutely and meaningfully. Creating supportive workplaces isn’t simply the fitting factor to do – it’s a strategic funding in individuals, productiveness, and fairness.
Importantly, once we discuss prevention, we’re not solely speaking about lowering the danger, or delaying the onset, of persistent circumstances, notably sort 2 diabetes. That is additionally about supporting these already dwelling with all varieties of diabetes to keep away from issues and keep their well being and wellbeing. For individuals with diabetes, this implies stopping severe outcomes like kidney failure, blindness, amputations, coronary heart assaults, and strokes – lots of that are preventable with well timed care, training, and help.
The Australian Authorities has recognised the significance of this shift. “Pivoting to prevention and early intervention” is one in every of 4 strategic priorities within the Division of Well being’s Company Plan 2025–26. Now could be the time to behave.
The statistics are sobering: eight in ten Australians have a minimum of one long-term well being situation. One in two lives with a persistent situation. The implications of not investing in preventive well being are too nice to disregard.
The excellent news? We all know what works. Initiatives like Diabetes Australia’s KeepSight Program have helped over half 1,000,000 Australians scale back their threat of diabetes-related blindness by greater than 90%. And our profitable well being teaching packages are delivering actual ends in the prevention of sort 2 diabetes and its issues.
Diabetes Australia is scaling up prevention efforts, together with the launch of 1800PREVENT (sort 2 diabetes), a free telephone and on-line service serving to individuals vulnerable to sort 2 diabetes navigate well being info. We frequently hear that there’s a lot of knowledge on the market, but it surely isn’t all the time simple to search out and generally it’s onerous to know if it’s good recommendation or not. This service helps to chop by way of the noise and encourage individuals to talk to a well being skilled if they’re vulnerable to sort 2 diabetes.
The Productiveness Fee’s proposed Nationwide Prevention Funding Framework is a pivotal alternative. For too lengthy, Australia’s well being spending has targeted on treating persistent circumstances and issues quite than stopping them.
If we get this proper – and put money into prevention – we’ll not solely enhance well being outcomes, but in addition strengthen our workforce and financial system. Prevention is productiveness, and the time to behave is now.
This opinion piece was printed within the Canberra Occasions on 14 November 2025 to mark World Diabetes Day.
