AMA Victoria Foundation Activation Grant
Help us power primary care screening for fatty liver disease
The inaugural AMA Victoria Foundation Activation Grant is supporting an innovative primary care screening pilot to improve the early detection of Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) and provide practical clinical decision support for GPs.
MAFLD is now one of the leading causes of preventable liver-related illness in Australia and globally. It is the most common cause of chronic liver disease in Australia and contributes significantly to cirrhosis, liver cancer, cardiovascular disease and premature death.
Despite its growing prevalence, MAFLD often develops silently.
"People can have symptoms such as fatigue or abnormal liver enzymes for quite a while. The tragedy is that often they are referred too late. By then the disease is relatively progressed and they are at greater risk of irreversible scarring of the liver, cirrhosis, liver cancer and morbidity."
- Professor Neeraj Bhala, Royal Melbourne Hospital and University of Melbourne
Professor Bhala's project aims to address this challenge through a practical, low-cost screening and prevention model that supports earlier diagnosis, improves referral pathways and reduces the burden of liver disease on patients and the healthcare system.
The project
The pilot will test a primary care screening and prevention model for MAFLD using low-cost, non-invasive tools and GP decision support.
The project focuses on four key areas:
Risk assessment tools
Develop validated, low-cost and non-invasive risk stratification tools that can be used in general practice.
Clinical decision support
Provide practical guidance to help GPs identify high-risk patients and make informed decisions about monitoring, management and referral.
Patient education
Develop accessible resources that support lifestyle changes and reduce metabolic risk factors associated with liver disease.
Evaluation and future scale-up
Assess the pilot's feasibility and impact with a view to broader implementation across Victoria and beyond.
Why this matters
Although evidence-based, non-invasive screening tools already exist, systematic liver disease detection is not routinely embedded in primary care. This can result in delayed diagnoses, missed opportunities for prevention and inappropriate referrals.
By equipping GPs with simple tools and clear pathways, this project seeks to improve patient outcomes while reducing the long-term burden of liver disease on the health system.
Help us reach our $50,000 goal
We are seeking to raise $50,000 to support the implementation of this pilot and strengthen primary care screening for fatty liver disease across Victoria.
"I'm looking forward to creating these tools and enabling communication with our GP colleagues, understanding the challenges they face and identifying where we can make improvements to support their work and ultimately help patients. Like everything, healthcare is a team-based sport."
- Professor Neeraj Bhala
Your donation will help improve early detection, support better patient care and reduce the burden of preventable liver disease.
All donations over $2 are tax deductible.
A strong response to the inaugural grant round
In April 2026, AMA Victoria members submitted 17 applications in response to a call for practical, evidence-based projects aimed at preventing or better managing lifestyle and infectious diseases.
Projects were assessed against criteria including:
Prevention and early intervention
Evidence-based health promotion and education
Research supporting improved prevention or disease management
Reducing preventable disease burden, particularly in regional and rural communities.
AMA Victoria President Dr Simon Judkins said the successful project stood out because it offers a highly practical and scalable approach to addressing a major and growing health challenge.
"This initiative has the potential to deliver measurable outcomes at relatively low cost, while creating opportunities to improve care for clinicians and patients both nationally and internationally."
About the AMA Victoria Foundation
The AMA Victoria Foundation supports initiatives that reduce, control and prevent diseases that place a significant burden on individuals, families and the healthcare system, particularly in regional and rural communities.
The Foundation is administered by AMA Victoria in partnership with Harper Bernays, an independent professional trustee company. Following a review of the Foundation's constitution in 2025, the Activation Grant program was established to support innovative prevention-focused health initiatives.
Questions?
For information about the Foundation or donating, please contact:
Harper Bernays
Phone: 1800 427 737
Email: info@harpbernays.com.au
Meet the Grant Recipient: Professor Neeraj Bhala
Professor Neeraj Bhala is Professor of Gastroenterology at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and the University of Melbourne. A clinician, researcher and educator, he has worked in the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia and has a longstanding interest in liver disease prevention and population health.
Why focus on fatty liver disease?
MAFLD affects more than one in three Australians and is now the leading cause of liver disease in Australia. Yet it remains highly preventable and often goes undiagnosed until significant damage has occurred.
"This project seeks to enhance primary care screening for MAFLD by empowering GPs with knowledge about the condition and existing guidance, while streamlining referral pathways so patients are managed at the right time and in the right place."
Who will benefit?
The pilot will focus on adults at high metabolic risk, particularly people with:
Type 2 diabetes
Obesity
Multiple cardiometabolic risk factors
Socioeconomic disadvantage.
These groups face the highest risk of undiagnosed advanced liver disease and stand to benefit most from early intervention.
Looking ahead
While the pilot will begin in Victoria, Professor Bhala believes the model has the potential to be expanded nationally and internationally.
"Working on bettering the system and empowering communication and referral pathways will be a win not just for individual patients, but for clinicians and the whole system. The potential for scale across Australia and internationally is enormous."
With the support of donors, the AMA Victoria Foundation is helping turn innovative ideas into practical solutions that improve patient outcomes and strengthen preventive healthcare.