Gaping Hole in Our Fight for Public Health
Today's report - Australia's Health 2000 - contains good and bad news, the Federal President of the Australian Medical Association, Dr Kerryn Phelps said today.
"The good news is that we were living 20 years longer than we were 100 years ago," Dr Phelps said.
"But we're not doing enough to tackle smoking, indigenous health, illicit drug use and obesity.
"Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death and disease in this country - killing 18,000 Australians every year - yet we're spending a pittance to address it.
"Lung cancer is still the leading cause of cancer death for Australians - 80% of which is estimated to be caused by smoking.
"Life expectancy for Aboriginal people is 20 years shorter than the rest of the population - yet we're short-changing Aboriginal health by nearly $250m a year.
"The use of illicit drugs is increasing, but we are still turning addicts away from treatment and rehabilitation programs because we don't have enough places.
"We're not going to make real progress until it is as easy to get into a treatment program as it is to score heroin on the streets.
"Chronic disease is now more prominent and increased funding is needed to ensure GPs, can manage the increasing burden of disease within their practices," Dr Phelps said.