About the Victorian Department of Health

Our vision is to support Victorians to be the healthiest people in the world by delivering a world-class health system that leads to better health outcomes for all Victorians.

Public Health Protection, Practice and Response

Protects the health and wellbeing of Victorians and prevents diseases through delivery of health protection, prevention, and promotion functions in line with public health legislation, policies and guidelines. The branch identifies, plans and develops statewide public health programs, whilst managing state-wide system and public health risks. The branch provides authoritative public health advice and leadership, utilising scientific, technological, regulatory, epidemiological and policy expertise to support operational preparedness, management and response activities. We integrate local intelligence through our public health network, to ensure a cohesive and effective response to public health challenges at the state level. We assess risks by identifying trends, patterns or emerging health threats at a broader scale to inform statewide reporting and surveillance. This allows the department to maintain situational awareness, inform public health policy, allocate resources, coordinate responses to outbreaks or public health incidents, and provide evidence-based guidance to the network and other partners.

Public Health Entomology

Since 1974, the department has operated the Victorian Arbovirus Disease Control program (VADCP) to deliver an integrated mosquito management program. This includes surveillance activities to monitor mosquito species and abundance and to detect viruses of public health concern. The integrated mosquito management approach also incorporates mosquito control strategies including physical, chemical, and cultural control methods to minimise the impact of mosquito-borne diseases on public health.

The VADCP is supported by the Public Health and Wellbeing Regulations 2019 that clearly outline responsibilities for mosquito management as the shared responsibility of all landowners or land occupiers. This applies to land owned/managed by both the public sector or government, or private residents, businesses and organisations to help reduce the risk of vector-borne diseases.

Celebrating their 40th anniversary in 2025, Garrards have been supplying specialist vector control products and equipment since inception, and have a reputation that justifies their motto, “Service with Integrity”.
With branches in all Australian mainland states, as well as in New Zealand, Garrards are uniquely positioned to be able supply promptly and on-time.

Whether you need larvicides, insecticides, application equipment or safety gear, Garrards can supply it all.
Sumitomo Chemical Australia exclusively partners with Garrards to supply the Vectobac range of larvicide products to the professional vector control industry.  Sumitomo recently released VectoPrime, a unique Bti and s-Methoprene granular formulation that offers excellent pre-and-post flooding event mosquito control.

Garrards and Sumitomo Chemical Australia are proud to continue their long-term support of the MCAA Symposium.