Lungnet

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease "Knocking the wind out of over one million Australians"

The purpose of The Australian Lung Foundation's (ALF) funding submission is to advocate for a national approach for the diagnosis and treatment of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis.

COPD is a long-term lung disease characterised by progressive and irreversible airflow limitation. It is progressive, disabling and often fatal.

In Australia, COPD is the fifth biggest killer and third leading cause of disease burden, after heart disease and stroke. It affects some 1.3 million Australians - up to one in six people over 45. Alarmingly, three out of four people with COPD do not know they have it and are not taking the appropriate steps to stem the progress of the disease and relieve their symptoms. These people may mistake their symptoms as signs of ageing or they could be receiving treatment for asthma.

Every day 1,000 COPD patients occupy Australian public hospital beds with an average cost of $3,700 per admission. The Australian Lung Foundation (ALF) estimates that each year COPD costs the health system between $800-$900 million.

See a summary of the submission or the full submission:

Summary of ALF COPD Budget Submission 44.81 Kb

ALF COPD Budget Submission in full 581.42 Kb

ALF makes presentation to Government Inquiry into Health Funding

A copy of the transcript of proceedings at the Inquiry

Official Committee Hansard
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES STANDING COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND AGEING
Reference: Health funding
FRIDAY, 21 JULY 2006

is available at http://www.aph.gov.au/hansard/reps/commttee/R9495.pdf (392KB PDF File)

Content updated July 11 2008