preface
Australia is facing a long-dormant health crisis, and deadly danger is looming!
Whether it's chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes or obesity, more and more Australians are deeply affected by them.
Although the epidemic has passed, its legacy is still there, and Australia's healthcare system has been overwhelmed.
At the same time, the medical industry is ushering in an explosive change.
Whether it's funding for preventive medicine or the expansion of private healthcare companies, the next few years could determine the future of health in Australia.
With the aging of the population and the increase in the incidence of chronic diseases, the shortage of medical resources is becoming more and more serious.
Private sector giants are actively deploying digital health, teleconsultation and online pharmacies to address this challenge through innovative models.
At a time when the healthcare industry is on the brink of an outbreak, it will be up to the health industry to help Australians withstand these imminent health threats.
Recently, Wesfarmers officially announced the research results of its first health index on October 8.
The index exhaustively analyzes data collected through approximately 3 million digital health screenings performed on more than 2 million individuals between 2018 and 2024.
Health risks for Australians are on the rise
The index found that nearly half of Australia are at higher risk of heart disease, among them:
29% of people have high blood pressure:
Studies have shown that an increase in a person's blood pressure, even within the normal range, can accelerate brain aging and increase the risk of stroke and dementia.
People with a blood pressure of 135/70 mmHg have younger brains in middle age than those with a blood pressure of 135/85 mmHg.
A new antihypertensive drug called compound 17b has been developed in Australia, which can exert anti-inflammatory effects by targeting the AMPK protein, thereby helping patients return to a better state.
In addition, Australian medical research has discovered that anti-inflammatory drugs can also be used to treat high blood pressure, Australian researchers have been studying the possibility of hypertension caused by chronic inflammation, and found that anti-inflammatory drugs used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and gout can effectively alleviate high blood pressure, and the results of the study have been confirmed in laboratory rats with high blood pressure.
26% are obese:
Australia is a growing obesity problem and has one of the highest obesity rates in the world.
According to statistics, Australia ranks 5th highest in the world with a 28% obesity rate, behind only the United States (38%), Mexico (33%), New Zealand (32%) and Hungary (30%). Australians have seen a 66% increase in food portions, which has played a key role in the "enrichment" of Australians.
The prevalence of obesity among preschoolers in Australia may be more than double that of their peers 20 years ago, and nearly 20% of children aged 2-4 years are overweight or obese.
A quarter of people aged 5 - 17 years are classified as overweight or obese; Nearly two-thirds of Australian adults are overweight or obese, and the number of severely obese people in the 18-year-old or over age group has doubled in the past 20 years.
6% of people have diabetes:
Studies have shown that Australia adults have an increased risk of diabetes and obesity.
Australians still have very high rates of diabetes, with an average of nearly 270 people diagnosed with diabetes every day, and adults aged 25-34 are gaining weight faster than other age groups.
People with diabetes are more likely to develop depression, which is up to 65% prevalent in people with diabetes, which is much higher than in the non-diabetic population.
People with diabetes are twice as likely to experience cognitive impairment.
Obesity remains one of the biggest causes of diabetes, with respondents increasing their average waist circumference by 5.3 cm over the course of a 12-year follow-up study, with women increasing their waist circumference more than men.
Nearly 1 million people are extremely vulnerable to heart disease or stroke:
The risk of heart disease in Australia increases, and fish oil, a well-known health supplement in Australia, may lead to serious illness and increase the risk of heart disease.
A study led by a Chinese medical team showed that healthy adults who took fish oil may have a greater risk of developing heart disease for the first time, and those who regularly take fish oil but have no signs of heart disease have a 13% increased risk of atrial fibrillation and a 5% increased risk of stroke.
The pandemic has led to a surge in cardiac arrest cases in Australia, delays in treatment and the devastating effects of COVID on the heart have led to a significant rise in serious heart problems.
In the first eight months of 2022, more than 10,200 Australians died from ischaemic heart disease, around 17% higher than expected deaths in a normal year.
A scoring system using this data found that Australians were 8% more likely to have two or more health risk factors than in 2018.
People's health declined during the pandemic, but gradually picked up in the following years.
Given rising costs, a lack of human resources, heightened mental health challenges, and the increasing burden on healthcare systems from an aging population, healthcare professionals have made a strong appeal to the government to increase funding for preventive medicine.
At the same time, the role of the private sector in the medical field has become the focus of public attention.
Some hospital operators have warned that their operations will be unsustainable if they do not receive timely and effective government assistance.
Health insurers, on the other hand, are actively investing in GP clinics and other related services.
Ms. Amos, Director of Wesfarmers Health, also said:
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Over the years, Wesfarmers Health has been deeply involved in all aspects of the healthcare system, whether it is hospital supplies, diagnostic services, or medical imaging technology, we strive to contribute to the improvement of the quality of medical care.
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Australia's medical industry will usher in a wave of explosion
For example, Australia's leading company Xinong Group, whose Wesfarmers Health has seen significant growth potential in the digital, pharmacy and beauty sectors.
The division's annual revenue is expected to reach a level close to $6 billion since its inception in 2022.
To June this year, Wesfarmers Health delivered solid revenue growth of 6% to a total of $5.6 billion.
This growth was primarily attributable to the company's decision to scale its digital and pharmacy business to better meet the growing demand in the Australia market.
Wesfarmers has identified the healthcare business as one of its fastest-growing segments, drawing on the model of United States supermarket giants that have successfully integrated general practitioners, dental and radiology practices.
Specifically, the company further broadened its healthcare services with the acquisition of Pharmaceutical Industries Australia for $1 billion in 2022 and InstantScripts for $135 million in 2023, further broadening its healthcare services to include telehealth consultations, online prescriptions, medical certificate issuance and blood testing.
In addition, Wesfarmers has further strengthened its market position in these areas by holding a 60% stake in beauty chains Clear Skincare and Silk Laser Clinics, as well as a digital medical diagnostics business SiSU.
Not just the West Farm Group, but Woolworths has also been focusing on the sector for a long time and has seen strong growth due to an ageing population and growing consumer interest in health, wellbeing and beauty.
The two companies are committed to providing consumers with faster, more cost-effective and more convenient access to primary care and medicines by integrating their digital, data management and supply chain strengths in the retail business with online and offline service models.
At present, there are more affordable online GP services in the market.
Specifically, on the InstantScripts platform, users can enjoy online prescribing services as low as $19, blood tests and specialist referrals for as little as $20, and GP consultations as low as $49, a fraction of the standard GP fee of $74.75 before Medicare refunds.
In addition, services such as telehealth consultations, medical certificates, e-prescriptions and referrals are available at a minimum fee of $25 on the HealthyLife platform, and users can often book appointments on the same day, greatly improving the convenience and accessibility of medical services.
epilogue
Australia's healthcare system has long been recognised as one of the world's preeminent.
However, the current health problems can be said to be more and more intractable, with more chronic diseases, strained medical resources, and an accelerating aging population, which overwhelms the medical system.
After the epidemic, many problems have been magnified, and everyone's health needs are soaring, but medical services cannot keep up, and the pressure is increasing.
These difficulties seem like unsolvable problems.
As a result, many large companies have begun to enter the healthcare industry in a big way, targeting emerging areas such as digital health, remote consultation, and online pharmacy.
Everyone is seeing this moment of explosion in medical needs.
This wave of dividends, they are ready to seize the opportunity.
In view of Australia's many unique advantages in the medical field, the Australian medical industry is gradually becoming one of the high-profile investment hotspots in the world, attracting investors from all over the world.