New health research partnership announced

The Victorian State Government and the Global Health Alliance Melbourne have partnered to start the first ever Melbourne Landscape Study to map and collect the global health investment and trade opportunities, and the expertise that resides in Melbourne.

“Based on the recent analysis undertaken by the alliance, we know that the return on investments made in global health pay huge dividends, not only in economic terms, but in terms of disease eradication and elimination,” said the regional director from WHO, Dr SHIN Young-soo.

Recognising this, the Department of Health and Human Services is financially supporting the alliance to capture the expertise and potential of its Melbourne-based members which span nine sectors: client groups, research, education, entrepreneurship, service delivery, advocacy, policy, corporations and philanthropy.

The alliance, chaired by former Victorian Premier, the Hon John Brumby AO, is the first such entity in the Southern Hemisphere and is based on the Washington Global Health Alliance, recognising Melbourne as the hub of global health expertise in the Asia–Pacific.

“Our recent publication shows that the return on investments in the sector can be up to $120:$1 for interventions such as TB, and at a time when the aid dollar around the world is shrinking, the state government is showing leadership and thinking beyond its borders,” said Misha Coleman, executive director of the Global Health Alliance Melbourne.