THE Federal Senate yesterday passed a bill to establish an Australian Centre for Disease Control (CDC), a move welcomed by health bodies nationwide.
The Australian CDC has been described by the Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA) as "the most important piece of public health infrastructure in generations".
The legislation will make the interim Australian CDC, which began in Jan 2024, a permanent agency effective 01 Jan 2026.
PHAA CEO Adjunct Professor Terry Slevin said that with childhood vaccination rates falling, misinformation rife, and health harms from climate change growing, an Australian CDC is "more important than ever".
"The tsunami of preventable chronic disease must also be addressed," he added.
Prof Slevin acknowledged and thanked the many people "who've put in hard work and long nights, showing it's a long way to the top to get a Centre for Disease Control".
"This is a moment for the public health history books, and is testament to the tenacity of countless people who've toiled for decades to achieve this," Prof Slevin said.
"This centre will save lives, not just here but also overseas, as it will increase our links with our neighbours."
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