EUPHA expresses deep concern and solidarity with our colleagues in Australia following the announcement that VicHealth, the Victorian Health Promotion Foundation, will be absorbed into the State Department of Health, ending its status as an independent agency after nearly four decades.
VicHealth is widely recognised as a global pioneer in health promotion. Established as the world’s first health promotion foundation, it has consistently demonstrated how evidence-based strategies can prevent disease, reduce health inequities, and improve population wellbeing. Its independence has been central to its success, enabling bold, innovative approaches insulated from short-term political and operational pressures.
The influence of VicHealth has extended far beyond Australia. Its work has inspired similar initiatives across Europe and globally, shaping policy frameworks, research agendas, and community-based interventions. From tobacco control to addressing social and commercial determinants of health, VicHealth has provided a model of excellence that many countries have sought to emulate.
At a time when public health faces mounting challenges, including rising rates of chronic disease, the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the health impacts of climate change, strong, independent health promotion institutions are more important than ever. The decision to dismantle VicHealth’s autonomy is therefore deeply troubling. It risks weakening prevention efforts, eroding decades of institutional knowledge, and undermining the very principles of evidence-based public health.
This move will be seen internationally as a retrograde step. It comes amid a worrying global trend of attacks on public health and prevention, where short-term fiscal pressures override long-term health gains. Prevention is not a luxury; it is a necessity that saves lives and resources. Absorbing VicHealth into a department already under immense strain will inevitably shift focus away from prevention toward immediate treatment demands, with significant consequences for population health.
EUPHA stands with our Australian colleagues in calling for the Victorian Government to reconsider this decision. We urge policymakers to recognise that dismantling independent health promotion capacity is not an efficiency measure but a costly mistake, for Victoria, for Australia, and for global public health.
Prevention matters. Independence matters. VicHealth matters.
