9 May 2007.

Boost in reproductive health care welcome

The 32 per cent increase in reproductive health care, family planning and population policy within Australia’s overseas development assistance (ODA) program is very welcome, according to Ms Christina Richards, CEO of the Australian Reproductive Health Alliance(ARHA).

While the percentage of this component in the health sector of the ODA budget remains the same at nine per cent, the overall lift in health from $383 to $515 million means spending on reproductive health and population policy was also lifted from $34 to $46 million.  

“We particularly welcome the focus on women in the ODA health budget,” says Ms Richards. “For instance, it  recognises the need to ‘provide skilled care during pregnancy and birth’, and to ‘introduce modern contraceptive methods’. This will certainly help countries in our region meet the Millennium Development Goal of a three-quarter reduction in maternal mortality by 2015. 

“The commitment to reducing maternal mortality means that Australia must now prevent women from dying from unsafe abortion in countries in our region where abortion is legal. This is a major cause of maternal morbidity and mortality.”

The ODA Budget also gives a boost to Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) including HIV/AIDS spending which now makes up 28 per cent of the aid health budget.

“Given there are eight million people infected with HIV in the Asia Pacific region, most notably Papua New Guinea, this expansion in STI funding is clearly needed,” she says.

“This budgetary commitment will help PNG and the Pacific Islands reach their target of universal access to HIV treatment in 2010,” says Ms Richards. “While this is to be applauded, more recognition could have been given to prevention of HIV as well as its treatment.”

“While the increase in the health budget, particularly for sexual and reproductive health, is a move in the right direction, the fact that overall ODA is still only 0.3 per cent of GNI is very disappointing” she says. “Australia committed itself decades ago to the UN target of 0.7 per cent of GNI – we are a long way short of this and fall way behind most other OECD nations in this respect.”

Further information:  Christina Richards 02 6282 8922  mobile 0427 884 479