Canberrans are being called on to help prevent chronic disease in the Territory with the ACT Health Directorate (ACTHD) calling for feedback on a draft action plan.
Opening its draft Preventive Health Action Plan 2023-2025 for comment, ACT Health said it wanted to hear about what actions Government could take to reduce chronic disease.
“People in the ACT have the highest life expectancy in Australia,” ACTHD said.
“However, nearly half of all Canberrans live with one or more chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, cancers or mental health conditions,” it said.
“Many of these chronic diseases are preventable.”
The Directorate said the draft Action Plan, open until 28 July, was the second of two action plans under the Healthy Canberra: ACT Preventive Health Plan 2020-2025.
It said the Preventative Health Plan aimed to prevent chronic diseases by supporting people to choose lifestyle behaviours that reduced their risk of developing preventable diseases.
“This action plan is evidence-based and will build on the work already being delivered across the five priority areas of the preventive health plan.”
ACTHD said the five priority areas were supporting children and families; enabling active living; increasing healthy eating; reducing risky behaviours; and promoting healthy aging.
The Directorate’s 22-page draft Action Plan can be accessed at this PS News link.
