Hello to all our supporters and readers of the Emerge Australia newsletter!
What a month it has been! As most of you already are aware, our Emerge Australia team, with the support of our loyal donors and the Open Medicine Foundation, held a Roundtable event at Parliament House on 27 March 2024.
Shining a light on Recommendation 8 brought clinical, scientific and patient representatives together to discuss the urgent needs of the estimated 250,000 Australians across all ages and regions with ME/CFS.
Speaking at the wrap up of the event I indicated that it is critical that ‘health is seen as an investment and not a cost’. Australia’s ME/CFS community have been left out, gaslit, had their needs ignored and negated as a result of a lack of financial investment.
With over forty participants in the room and more than 200 registrants for the live audio feed, the meeting focussed on the critical need for new clinical guidelines for ME/CFS, increased and expanded patient support, education for GPs and allied health professionals and increased investment in ME/CFS research. These key areas are all part of Recommendation 8 which it is high time was implemented. Emerge Australia calls on all governments to work together to implement Recommendation 8 and demonstrate to the ME/CFS and long COVID communities that they are seen, heard and valued.
The production of our Roundtable was an amazing team event, and we were delighted that so many from across Australia were able to attend despite the technological challenges we were faced with on the day.
We look forward to receiving the draft White Paper which once edited will be made available widely after it has been presented to the Minister and MPs.
