New gov't partnership to make Melbourne "global health capital" of Southern Hemisphere

The Victorian Government and Global Health Alliance Melbourne (GLHAM) have announced a new partnership to make Melbourne the epicentre of health expertise in the Southern Hemisphere.

The collaboration will begin with the first-ever Melbourne Landscape Study which will collect and map the global health investment and trade opportunities within the city.

Shin Young-soo, the Regional Director from the World Health Organization (WHO), said the partnership would reap benefits for the Victorian health and medicine sector as well as the Government.

"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," Shin told the World Congress for Public Health in Melbourne on Thursday.

The Alliance is the only organization of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere and is based on the world-renowned Washington Global Health Alliance.

Misha Coleman, Executive Director of GLHAM, said she was delighted with the Government's decision to invest in the sector.

"Melbourne is a global health leader in clinical care, research and advocacy, but significant gains in disease eradication and elimination won't be made while experts work in silos, so I'm pleased with this new partnership between the Alliance and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) which will allow us to capture the expertise and create platforms for collaboration."

Former Premier of Victoria John Brumby will be the first Chairman of the Alliance. Endit