Australia has entered into a comprehensive partnership with Laos, also announcing $3 million this financial year to support research into the elimination of dengue fever via Monash University’s World Mosquito Program NFP.
The Dengue (break-bone fever) virus, which is spread by being bitten by an infected mosquito, most commonly occurs in tropical and subtropical climates and is a risk to about half the world’s population.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates there are about 100 million-400 million infections annually, and the virus is a year-round threat to Laos. In 2023, the country recorded a total of 36,521 dengue cases.
Anthony Albanese hosted prime minister Sonexay Siphandone on the side of the ASEAN-Australian special summit on Wednesday.
During the meeting, the leaders of Australia and Laos made a commitment to long-term climate finance, transnational crime, and more people-to-people talks, with a focus on strengthening health outcomes in the ASEAN region.
Albanese and Sonexay also signed an agreement elevating the Australia-Laos relationship to a comprehensive partnership.
The new comprehensive partnership includes commitments to work together across four pillars:
- People, education and human resource development;
- Economics, trade and investment in line with the Invested: Australia’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040 (also known as the Moore report);
- Climate, environment and energy; and
- Defence and law enforcement.
The first pillar of the comprehensive partnership includes strengthening Australia and Laos’ development cooperation, educational exchanges, and improving health outcomes.
High quality, long-term climate finance, capacity-building and technology are features of the pillar concerning climate and energy.
Separate from the new comprehensive partnership announcement, Ged Kearney shared her views in a fireside chat with ASEAN emerging leaders at the summit.
During her address, the former Australian nurse and current assistant minister for health and aged care explained why she viewed health initiatives as ‘the perfect tool for soft diplomacy’.
“Healthcare is, in my view, not really contestable — we are not in competition when it comes to our community’s health,” Kearney said.
“It is a great way for us to break down barriers and cross borders by sharing the knowledge and the expertise that each of us has in healthcare.”
Women’s health and providing adequate care access to women was one area, in particular, that Kearney suggested could benefit from collaboration with international partners. “Often, what I’ve learned in this role is that there are cultural barriers around women’s health. culturally there are different ways that you talk about it, or you don’t discuss women’s health, and there can be quite significant barriers across different cultural borders,” Kearney said.
“We could actually eliminate an entire disease from the work from the female community [like HPV], which is really worthwhile.”
Mental health and navigating the different stigmas culture may attach to treatment was another area that benefited from cross-border partnerships, she said.
The assistant minister also noted government agendas that prioritised health programs indicated to civil society, not-for-profit organisations and other allies what areas to engage with.
Australian international development policy has identified the management of disease spread in the region as a key health priority.
“If a government is sharing health initiatives in the area in the region, it legitimises philanthropic activity as well.
“People charities are more likely to get in behind a program or a project if they know the government is committed to it and involved,” Kearney said.
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