While the proportion of deaths from heart disease has decreased over the past decade, it still accounted for 16.0% of all deaths in 2009, compared with 20.9% in 2000.

Deaths due to dementia and Alzheimer’s disease have more than doubled over the past 10 years, accounting for 5.9% of all deaths in 2009 compared to 2.8% in 2000. Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease are now the third leading cause of death overall.

Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease are most prevalent amongst females where they are the third leading cause of death, compared to sixth for males.

Lung cancer was responsible for the most deaths caused by cancer and is the fourth leading cause overall. Lung cancer accounted for 5.5% of all deaths and is the second leading cause of death for males and the fourth leading cause for females.

There were 2,130 deaths due to suicide in 2009. Males accounted for over three-quarters of all suicide deaths, with suicide ranking as the tenth leading cause of death of males, and the fourteenth leading cause overall. Suicide accounted for 22.1% of all deaths amongst 15-24 year old males in 2009.

Heart disease remains the leading cause of death amongst Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, accounting for 15.3% of all Indigenous deaths.

Diabetes and external causes of death are over-represented in the Indigenous population. Diabetes was responsible for 8.0% of all Indigenous deaths, compared with 2.9% of deaths of non-Indigenous people. External causes, including accidents, suicides and homicides, represented 13.9% of all Indigenous deaths, compared with 6.1% of non-Indigenous deaths.

Source: ABS

The Dela Salle delegation was headed by Dr. Ramona Luisa Pablo Santos, Vice Chancellor of Academics of the Dela Salle Health Science Institute (DLSHSI) and accompanied by the Dean/Principal of the College of Nursing, College of Physical Therapy and School of Midwifery.

The Philippine Consulate General arranged the meetings with the University of Sydney, Southern Cross University and the Australian Catholic University of which DLSHSI has an existing Memorandum of Understanding since 2006.

The discussions with the three universities range from student exchange in Nursing , faculty development in Diagnostic and Radiologic Technology, Rehabilitation Medicine and programs on learning and medical integration approach in the College of Medicine and Pediatric rehabilitation services.

There were also discussions on Natural and Complementary Health Science program and Exercise Science.

Consul General Maria Theresa P. Lazaro said that Dela Salle University and the Australian universities will surely benefit from each other’s academic credentials and experiences and definitely an impetus to a stronger Philippine-Australian relations. #