Australia invests $354 million to support women's health and wellbeing

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Australia is investing $353.9 million over the next four years as part of the 2021-22 Budget to support women’s health, including funding for cervical and breast cancer, endometriosis and reproductive health.

The country is committed to implementing the five priority areas of the National Women’s Health Strategy 2020–2030 and improving long-term health outcomes for women and girls.

Key investment measures include:

• $100.4 million for improvements to cervical and breast cancer screening programs which will help detect these life-threatening cancers earlier, improving survival rates.
• $95.9 million for new tests on the MBS for pre-implantation genetic testing (PGT) of embryos for specific genetic or chromosomal abnormalities prior to implantation and pregnancy.
• $47.4 million to support the mental health and wellbeing of new and expectant parents, including through funding for the Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Australia (PANDA) helpline, and by working to deliver universal perinatal mental health screening and improved data collection across public antenatal and postnatal care settings;
•  $26.9 million to provide support for people with eating disorders and their families, noting that women account for almost two thirds of eating disorder diagnoses.
• $22 million for additional gynaecology items on the MBS, including items for Assisted Reproductive Technology and long-term reversible contraceptives.
• $21.6 million for women’s health initiatives, including Jean Hailes for Women’s Health and the Pelvic Pain Foundation of Australia for the Periods, Pain and Endometriosis Program (PPEP-Talk).
• $19.3 million for the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme listing of Oripro®️ (progesterone) to prevent women going into premature labour.
• $13.7 million for the Australian Preterm Birth Prevention Alliance to reduce pre-term birth rates.
• $6.6 million for Breast Cancer Network Australia to operate its helpline, rural and regional information forums and extending its consumer representative training program.

“As part of today’s significant investment, $13.7 million will help to reduce the rate of preterm births in Australia, which affect 8% of births in Australia and up to 16% among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women,” said Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt. 

The government is also listing Oripro^® (progesterone) on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) from June 1, which is used to prevent women going into premature labour, saving around 14,250 women up to $300 per course of treatment.