Health Promotion and Education

A Presentation on Worlds First Health Promotion Foundation:

Learnings from
Prabesh Ghimire

This presentation will cover

Background
How Vic Health established?
Introduction of Vic Health
Strategies and activities
Stakeholders
Results, impacts and sustainability
Replication of success
Learning and conclusion

Background

Ottawa charter
convened in 1986
Countries
commitment to
health promotion

Move into arena of

healthy public policy
Advocate clear
political commitment
Recognize health as
social investment

Establishment of Vic Health

Australia a signatory of Ottawa Charter

Healthy Public Policy: Victorian Tobacco Act

passed 1987

Provision for Victorian Health Promotion

Foundation (Vic Health)

First foundation on Health Promotion

Vic Health

Independent statutory authority

Funding from government-collected tobacco

taxes

Mandate to support health promotion activities

Governing board: Tripartisan

Greatest strength of Vic Health

An elected representative from each of the parliamentary

parties

Ensure support and future sustainability

Vic Health Vision and Objectives

Vision
Support and enhance the wellbeing of all
Victorians.

Objectives mandated by Tobacco Act 1987

Fund health promotion activities

Increase awareness through sponsorship

Encourage healthy lifestyles

Fund research and development activities

Early Works of Vic Health

Anti-smoking campaigns

Buy out tobacco company sponsorship of

sport and the arts -1988

Replace tobacco billboard advertising

Ban on all tobacco advertising in Victorian

print media.

Early Works of Vic Health

Food and Nutrition Program -1989

Active for Life launched in schools

Funding to various programs:

Cancer Council Victoria (Sun Smart, Quit)

Victorian Breast Cancer Screening Programs

Mental Health Research Institute

Current Works of Vic Health

Based on Action Agenda for Health Promotion
20132023
Activities guided by five strategic imperatives:
Promoting healthy eating
Encouraging regular physical activity
Preventing tobacco use
Preventing harm from alcohol
Improving mental wellbeing

Campaign Examples:

Simple and Memorable Messages

Booze Less, Be Your Best (Alcohol misuse)
Active at any Age (Physical Activity)
Quit (Smoking)
Sun Smart (Sun protection)
Active for life (Physical Activity)

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Stakeholders

Victorian Government/ Parliament

Health promoting organizations/ agencies

Sports and Art:

State Sporting Associations, Confederation of National Sports, Victorian

Tennis Association, Victorian Netball Association, Football and basketball
clubs, etc.

Other health councils/ foundations:

Cancer council, Diabetes Australia, The National Heart Foundation, Australian

Drug Foundation

Research organizations

Media

Schools
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Factors for Vic Healths Sustainability

Funding model: Hypothecation

The dedicated tax: efficient way to raise funds to

buy out the tobacco industrys sponsorship of
sport and the arts.

Partnerships and networks

Tripartisan board: Political support

Politically popular strategy: Vote-catching

objective

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Results & Impacts

Prevalence of smoking in Victoria from 1986 to 1991

declined at the rate of 1% per year, from 31.5% to 25.6%
and below 17% in 2005

Over 17,000 premature deaths are being averted each year

in Australia.

More than 3000 Victorian primary school children from 200

schools walk to and from school as part of VicHealths
Walking School Bus Program

Victorian Arts Centre becomes completely smoke-free- 1990

Of Australias top private companies based in Victoria, 75%

totally smoke-free (an increase of 25% in one year). 1993

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Reaching beyond borders

Countries such as Thailand and Korea expanded on

the original model - tax on alcohol.

Thailands ThaiHealth modelled on VicHealth

Hungary, Korea, South Africa, the Philippines,

Mongolia and Malaysia are in phases of adopting
the model.

Adoption of the worlds first public health treaty,

the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco
Control- 2005
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Providing impetus for countries to examine the model

Learnings from Vic Health

Tobacco control - one of the best, if not the best buy in

health over the period of Vic Healths work.

Possible due to the partnership between VicHealth and the Cancer

Council Victorias Quit campaign and

Support of successive ministers and governments for legislative

change.

Great

investment health care costs + health

status improvements + longevity gains.

Sustained

funding + healthy policy + effective

partnership better impacts.

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Learnings from Vic Health

Health promotion is everyones business

Schools, sports, art, health agencies, foundations,

political parties, public

Networks exist to create learning and

advocacy

Partnerships and working with range of

stakeholders maximizes health impact and
increases efficiency.

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Learnings from Vic Health

Vic Health Model may not be successful to all

countries:

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Should be modeled to specific cultural, political

and economic circumstances.
Tobacco control and other non-communicable
diseases may not be the priorities
Finance ministries may be antagonistic towards
earmarked taxes

Open Discussion

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References

The Story of Vic Health: A world first in health promotion; Victorian

Health Promotion Foundation, 2005

Tobacco Act 1987, Victoria, Australia

Carrin. G, Buse. K, Heggenhougen. K, Quah. S. R.; Health Systems

Policy, Finance and Organization; Elsevier, London:2009

Vic Health Official Home Page; https://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/

Annual Report 2015, Vic Health, Australia

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