A million-dollar wellness hub could soon be built in Devonport to help tackle the region’s chronic disease burden.
Not-for-profit health insurer St Lukes has partnered with Devonport City Council in a bid to secure federal backing ahead of the upcoming election.
“There is a critical and urgent need to better engage and communities in areas where they can manage their health through preventative lifestyle changes to improve health outcomes,” St Lukes CEO Paul Lupo said.
“Our wellness hub concept for the north-west provides an entry point for people in the community who want to make positive changes to their health, but simply don’t know where to start.”
The proposed hub would run a variety of preventative health and wellbeing programs focused on movement, nutrition and social connection.
It would be modelled on similar hubs in Hobart and Launceston, which have seen more than 15,000 people take part in a wide range of activities and events.
The north-west continues to face significant health challenges, with 41% of Devonport residents reporting long-term health conditions in 2021, higher than both state and national averages.
Almost two-thirds of the region’s population are overweight or obese, St Lukes said, while over 70% aren’t getting enough physical activity and just one in 20 people eat the recommended amount of vegetables.
Devonport Mayor Alison Jarman said the proposal, earmarked for the Devonport Oval Precinct, would build on existing federal investment in the area.
She said the opportunity was “timely and unique”.
“The proposal represents a multi-generation investment in the health and wellbeing of our city and the broader region,” she said.
