Lucas de Toca

Ambassador for Global Health; First Assistant Secretary, Global Health Division, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australia

Lucas de Toca is Australia’s Ambassador for Global Health. In addition, he leads the Global Health Division as First Assistant Secretary, and heads the Indo-Pacific Centre for Health Security at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. He is also a medical doctor, public health expert and Adjunct Professor in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of New South Wales and Honorary Professor in the College of Health and Medicine at the Australian National University.  

Amb de Toca leads a dedicated team that manages Australia’s regional and global investments in health, including the new A$ 620 million Partnerships for a Healthy Region initiative. Prior to joining DFAT, Amb de Toca led Australia’s National COVID-19 Vaccine Program at the Department of Health and Aged Care, and was heavily involved in many aspects of Australia’s COVID-19 response, including the Primary Care and First Nations responses as well as the response in multicultural and rural communities. He undertook his medical training at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain, with placements at the University of Sydney. He completed further post-graduate training at Harvard University.

Amb de Toca has a wealth of health sector experience, including previously serving as Chief Health Officer at Miwatj Health, the regional Aboriginal community-controlled health service for East Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory, and has been a board member of the Northern Territory Clinical Senate, and Northern Territory Aids and Hepatitis Council. He has also held academic positions at the University of Melbourne, University of Sydney, Flinders University and Harvard University.