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Public Health Association of Australia Submission on COVID-19

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Public Health Association of Australia Submission on COVID-19 Public Health Association of Australia submission on COVID-19 Contact for recipient: Committee Secretary A: Department of the Senate PO Box 6100, Parliament House Canberra ACT 2600 E: [email protected] T: (02) 6277 3892 28 May 2020 Contact for PHAA: Terry Slevin – Chief Executive Officer A: 20 Napier Close, Deakin ACT 2600 PHAA submission on COVID-19 Contents Preamble 4 The Public Health Association of Australia ............................................................................................ 4 Vision for a healthy population ............................................................................................................ 4 Mission for the Public Health Association of Australia .......................................................................... 4 Introduction 5 Context 6 Assessing the response through the WFPHA lens ................................................................................. 6 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) ................................................................................................ 6 Training and role of public health professionals ................................................................................... 7 Equity .................................................................................................................................................. 8 One Health .......................................................................................................................................... 9 Response 10 Coordination between Governments ................................................................................................. 10 Communication issues ....................................................................................................................... 10 Firearms ............................................................................................................................................ 11 Alcohol .............................................................................................................................................. 11 Racism ............................................................................................................................................... 12 Recovery 12 Australian CDC ................................................................................................................................... 12 Advisory bodies to Government ......................................................................................................... 13 Responsive, inclusive, participatory and transparent decision making ................................................ 15 Casual workers................................................................................................................................... 16 Human rights ..................................................................................................................................... 16 Climate change .................................................................................................................................. 16 Access to medicines, vaccines, tests and medical devices ................................................................... 17 Impacts on population groups and health issues 18 Criminal justice system ...................................................................................................................... 18 Refugees and asylum seekers ............................................................................................................. 18 Mental health .................................................................................................................................... 19 20 Napier Close Deakin ACT Australia, 2600 – PO Box 319 Curtin ACT Australia 2605 2 W: www.phaa.net.au PHAA submission on COVID-19 Family violence .................................................................................................................................. 19 Longer term impacts on young people ............................................................................................... 20 Infant Feeding .................................................................................................................................... 20 Children’s Health, Wellbeing and Education ....................................................................................... 21 Early Childhood Education and Care ................................................................................................... 21 People with disabilities ...................................................................................................................... 21 Food security ..................................................................................................................................... 22 Primary health care ............................................................................................................................ 23 Sex workers ....................................................................................................................................... 23 Dental health ..................................................................................................................................... 24 Transport ........................................................................................................................................... 24 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples ..................................................................................... 24 Gambling ........................................................................................................................................... 25 Alcohol and Other Drug Sector ........................................................................................................... 26 Conclusion 27 References 28 20 Napier Close Deakin ACT Australia, 2600 – PO Box 319 Curtin ACT Australia 2605 3 W: www.phaa.net.au PHAA submission on COVID-19 Preamble The Public Health Association of Australia The Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA) is recognised as the principal non-government organisation for public health in Australia working to promote the health and well-being of all Australians. It is the pre-eminent voice for the public’s health in Australia. The PHAA works to ensure that the public’s health is improved through sustained and determined efforts of the Board, the National Office, the State and Territory Branches, the Special Interest Groups and members. The efforts of the PHAA are enhanced by our vision for a healthy Australia and by engaging with like-minded stakeholders in order to build coalitions of interest that influence public opinion, the media, political parties and governments. Health is a human right, a vital resource for everyday life, and key factor in sustainability. Health equity and inequity do not exist in isolation from the conditions that underpin people’s health. The health status of all people is impacted by the social, cultural, political, environmental and economic determinants of health. Specific focus on these determinants is necessary to reduce the unfair and unjust effects of conditions of living that cause poor health and disease. These determinants underpin the strategic direction of the Association. All members of the Association are committed to better health outcomes based on these principles. Vision for a healthy population A healthy region, a healthy nation, healthy people: living in an equitable society underpinned by a well-functioning ecosystem and a healthy environment, improving and promoting health for all. The reduction of social and health inequities should be an over-arching goal of national policy and recognised as a key measure of our progress as a society. All public health activities and related government policy should be directed towards reducing social and health inequity nationally and, where possible, internationally. Mission for the Public Health Association of Australia As the leading national peak body for public health representation and advocacy, to drive better health outcomes through increased knowledge, better access and equity, evidence informed policy and effective population-based practice in public health. 20 Napier Close Deakin ACT Australia, 2600 – PO Box 319 Curtin ACT Australia 2605 4 W: www.phaa.net.au PHAA submission on COVID-19 Introduction PHAA welcomes the opportunity to provide input to the Inquiry into COVID-19. Public health practice is about ‘Protecting Health, Saving Lives – Millions at a Time’.1 Public health is built on prevention activities, rather than health care and its focus on treating illness. Optimal health is about more than just not being unwell, but about the ways in which whole populations behave and interact and stay healthy. Public health responses during a pandemic are therefore critical to the maintenance of health in large populations. The initial response to the pandemic has been on reducing the immediate health and economic impact, based on information available at the time. This included a portfolio of action across all 11 public health intervention types – public policy development, legislation and regulation, resource allocation, engineering and technical interventions, incentives, service development and delivery, education, communication, collaboration and partnership building, community and organisational development and advocacy. The response and efforts of community members;
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