1800 278 462
Asthma Australia is warning its National Asthma Management Program is facing significant uncertainty following the Federal Government’s decision to not commit to ongoing funding in the 2026-2027 Federal Budget.
Asthma Australia CEO, Ms Kate Miranda, said, “The National Asthma Management Program is the only dedicated asthma management program funded by the Federal Government. The absence of long-term funding certainty raises concerns about the sustainability of the program relied on by 2.8 million people with asthma, including nearly 400,000 children, carers, schools and health professionals across Australia.”
Through the National Asthma Management Program, Asthma Australia delivers a comprehensive range of free services to support asthma self-management and reduce preventable harm. This includes personalised support through 1800 ASTHMA and a digital service staffed by trained Asthma Educators, training for health professionals, and asthma education programs delivered in schools nationwide.
“Asthma is one of Australia’s most common chronic conditions. We’ve seen growing demand for our services, with over 131,000 people receiving personalised asthma support each year,” Ms Miranda said.
“Over the past four years, 57 per cent of schools across Australia have undertaken our online asthma training, including Asthma First Aid, helping teachers feel confident to support children with asthma in their classrooms.
“And we know it works. People tell us this support improves their confidence to manage their asthma, helps them respond earlier to symptoms and triggers, and leads to better health outcomes. Allowing this program to face a funding cliff puts that progress at risk.”
Ms Miranda said the national scope of the program is critical for equitable access to asthma support. “Our services are free, available nationwide and increasingly delivered through multilingual digital platforms. For people in regional and remote communities, and for culturally and linguistically diverse communities, national programs like this can mean the difference between having support at their fingertips or having no support at all.”
Asthma Australia warned alternative or short-term funding opportunities cannot replace or sustain the extensive and integrated suite of services currently delivered under the National Asthma Management Program.
Ms Miranda said, “Without funding assurance from government, it becomes impossible to guarantee continuity of support for the people who rely on us.
“Asthma Australia is calling on the Federal Government to urgently commit to ongoing funding for the National Asthma Management Program to protect access to essential asthma support and avoid the dismantling of a proven national service.
“We stand ready to work with government to secure the future of this program — but without certainty, the 2.8 million Australians with asthma are left facing unacceptable risk.”
ENDS
For more information:
Contact: CEO, Kate Miranda, 0491 137 548
ABOUT
Asthma Australia is the nation’s peak body representing nearly 2.8 million Australians living with asthma. Our work is grounded in evidence and informed by the lived experience of people with asthma. Our programs reflect a commitment to outcomes-focused, equity-driven reform, integrating community insight and clinical expertise to strengthen person centred asthma care.
