AIHW news

How the AIHW is assisting the COVID-19 response

The Australian Government Department of Health collates national data about COVID-19 (coronavirus) and other notifiable communicable diseases. Data is being published daily on the Department of Health website.

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has begun releasing reports and data which include information about the impact of COVID-19 on the health and wellbeing of Australians.  

Links to releases with information about COVID-19 are listed on our COVID-19 related resources page, along with links to other AIHW resources which may be useful when researching issues related to the coronavirus pandemic.

Behind the scenes, the AIHW continues to have a number of staff seconded to work in the Australian Government Department of Health’s National Incident Room to assist with the monitoring of COVID-19. We are also continuing to assist several agencies with access to a range of health and welfare data.

To help inform the broader COVID-19 response, we are compiling data on the use of mental health services and from the various crisis help lines, as well as data on the use of homelessness services and are supporting efforts to assess Australia’s hospital capacity. We are also working closely with the Children’s and Families Secretaries Group on data that would assist in understanding interdependencies between the economic and social impacts of COVID-19 and child abuse and neglect.

The AIHW is liaising closely with our colleagues at the Australian Bureau of Statistics to ensure our COVID-19 related activities are coordinated and we continue to work with the Australian National University on COVID-19 focussed surveys.  

The AIHW’s core purpose is to produce authoritative and accessible information and statistics that inform and support better health and welfare related policy and service decisions, leading to improved health and wellbeing for all Australians. 

As part of our role, we regularly provide information about communicable diseases. For example:

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