The Minister for Health, the Hon Jill Hennessy, has released Victoria’s first Women’s sexual and reproductive health: key priorities 2017–2020 plan.
“Women’s reproductive and sexual health issues are often neglected and poorly-understood. We know we need to do more to improve access to these services, and that’s exactly what this Victorian first plan will achieve,” said Minister Hennessy. The plan, which is supported by $6.6 million in funding, sets out key actions to reduce barriers and service gaps that affect women’s access to reproductive and sexual health services.
Currently, Victorian women and girls suffer from a range of preventable or treatable conditions, and there are still too many parts of Victoria where there is little or no access to the services and information they need to manage and treat these conditions.
Through the new plan we are taking action to: improve access to affordable, effective and safe contraception and termination of pregnancy; tackle rising rates of chlamydia amongst young women; and better manage reproductive health issues, such as endometriosis, menopause and polycystic ovary syndrome.
The plan also aims to improve women’s health literacy, enhance the knowledge of health professionals and ensure health services can better meet women’s reproductive health needs.
For more information see the department’s website