A National Women’s Health Advisory Council is being established by the Albanese Labor Government in Australia to address the glaring disparities between women’s and girls’ health outcomes.
Women and girls confront particular difficulties that have a negative impact on their health, such as delayed diagnosis, overprescribing, and disbelief in pain or other symptoms.
“Women and girls suffer disproportionately poorer health outcomes – and the system is stacked against them”, Katy Gallagher—the Australian minister for finance, minister for women and for the public service, said on Twitter, adding that ‘we can do better and we will’.
Ged Kearney, Australia’s assistant minister for health and aged care, will serve as the chair of the National Women’s Health Advisory Council, which will offer tactical guidance to enhance Australia’s health system for women and girls.
The Council will examine pain management, medical consent, and the healthcare provided to women and girls in relation to menstruation, reproductive health, and menopause.
Additionally, it will take into account health outcomes for women across a variety of illnesses, such as heart disease, autism, and cancer treatment.
The National Women’s Health Strategy 2020–2030 will be implemented by the government, and the new Council will play a vital role in directing this process.
The National Women’s Health Advisory Council will include members from a variety of top stakeholder organizations, consumer groups, and medical and professional bodies, as well as the voice of women with lived experience. It will also include some of the country’s most renowned women’s health experts.
The Council members, who will each have a three-year initial term, will give the Government direct advise and recommendations, as well as yearly updates on its development. Even outside of annual reporting, the government is always free to consult experts.
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