Wyndham council has called on both state and federal governments to secure the future of community-based health prevention and promotion initiative Healthy Together Victoria.
The program, launched in 2012, targets the 14 local government areas, including Wyndham, most at risk of preventable chronic disease.
Research has shown that more than 55 per cent of the population, or 816,000 people across these areas, have been classified as either overweight or obese.
Funding for the National Partnership Agreement for Preventive Health between the Commonwealth and states was cut in last year’s federal budget. But ongoing state funding has allowed the program to continue until July, with the council set to continue with Healthy Together Wyndham (HTW) until at least December 31.
The council’s community well-being portfolio holder, Cr Bob Fairclough, said Healthy Together Victoria urgently required more time and resources to make a difference to the community’s health.
“Ending the funding makes no sense from both the human and financial perspective,” he said.
“The research on the importance of health prevention is done and the results are in: prevention is cheaper than cure.
“Victoria is clearly leading the world in comprehensive prevention efforts and it would be a disaster to see the foundations decimated and the promised outcomes not achieved.
“In Wyndham, 59 per cent of men and 48 per cent of women are overweight or obese and 88 per cent of 13 to 17-year-olds in Wyndham fail to meet recommended levels of physical activity,” he said.
“The work of HTW to date has been impressive. Over the past three years, it has reached 54,500 local people, or 28 per cent of Wyndham’s population.”
Cr Fairclough said HTW was working with businesses, schools, sports clubs, organisations and the community to improve health and reduce obesity rates across the city.
To this end, it has launched 15 walking groups, nine community kitchens and six Heartmoves exercise classes. Hoppers Crossing-based Injuries West, one of the businesses HTW works with, has adopted a range of programs aimed at improving physical and mental health in the workplace.
They include a ‘challenge board’, which encourages people to get out of their comfort zones, and a special Friday lunch that encourages employees to bring a plate to share.
“HTW is making real headway in improving community health and stepping up the fight against heart disease, cancer and type2 diabetes,” Cr Fairclough said.
“We call on the Australian and Victorian governments to guarantee funding to all 12 Healthy Together Victoria sites, including Wyndham, until at least June 30, 2017.”
Healthy Together Wyndham is a joint initiative of Wyndham council and the state government and is supported by Wyndham Star Weekly.
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