Government’s funding cut to stroke programs puts thousands of lives at risk

The Stroke Foundation is calling on the government to reverse its decision to cut vital funding in this year’s Federal Budget for stroke awareness, secondary prevention, and recovery support programs. These programs touch the lives of thousands of Australians every year, and their survival depends on continued government backing.

With the federal election set for 3 May, the Stroke Foundation is calling on all political parties to commit to funding these critical programs and ramping up investment in chronic disease prevention, if elected.

“We note reference to potential future prevention and chronic disease funding in Budget Paper No.1 but have no confirmation of the process and timeline for accessing funding. This will greatly impact our programs and ability to deliver vital services,” said Dr Lisa Murphy, CEO of Stroke Foundation.

According to the Stroke Foundation’s recent Economic Impact of Stroke Report – sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim, the Angels Initiative, and Medtronic – nearly half a million stroke survivors are living within the community, while 34,793 individuals experienced their first stroke in the past year. The financial toll? Over $9 billion annually, a staggering figure that includes health system costs, lost productivity, unpaid care, and National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) expenses.

The Stroke Foundation is currently delivering the F.A.S.T. (Face, Arms, Speech, Time) Community Education and Stroke Awareness Program, alongside the Living Well After Stroke secondary prevention program, which helps survivors make life-saving health behaviour changes. But without continued funding from the government, these programs will cease to exist beyond December 2025.

Dr Murphy expressed deep disappointment, particularly at the discontinuation of the stroke programs, which have saved countless lives.

“Given the huge impact stroke has on the lives of tens of thousands of Australians every year, we are extremely disappointed there has been no investment in stroke prevention, treatment, and recovery in this year’s Federal Budget.

“Stroke is a medical emergency, but alarmingly 1 in 3 Australians cannot recognise a single common sign of stroke, thus delaying calling 000 to receive urgent treatment, and reducing their chance of survival or recovery,” Dr Murphy emphasised.

Currently, the Stroke Foundation funds most of its programs through donations. However, with increasing cost-of-living pressures and a health system that fails to meet the demands of stroke patients, the need for government funding has never been more urgent.

“We are deeply concerned about the Australian Government’s decision not to invest in improving stroke care for all Australians. We are calling for the Prime Minister and Health Minister to prioritise the long-term health of Australians by urgently funding our evidence-based and much-needed programs,” Dr Murphy remarked.

The Stroke Foundation and its community will not stand down. The clock is ticking, and lives are on the line.

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