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PDF printable version of Government reinforces commitment to Indigenous Health (PDF 55 KB)

6 December 2005
ABB155/05

The Commonwealth Government has today announced 27 Indigenous primary health services will receive funding under the Healthy for Life program.

This is the first funding round and the successful services will receive funding of up to $400 000 per year for four years under the program. The extra funding will be used to improve child and maternal health and chronic disease services with extra staff, health promotion activities, parent child health education and care plans.

A list of the services and their locations is attached. Successful recipients for the second round of funding will be announced in March 2006.

The $102 million Healthy for Life program was announced in the 2005 Budget.

Indigenous people experience higher rates of maternal mortality, poorer pregnancy outcomes and higher levels of neonatal and infant mortality than other Australians. A higher incidence of low birth weight, combined with other early life risk factors, predisposes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to poorer health as adults.

Healthy for Life aims to improve the health of Indigenous mothers, infants and children, and those affected by chronic diseases to break the cycle of poor health from childhood to adulthood.

For more information call Mr Abbott's office on ph 02 6277 7220.

Healthy for Life program, round 1 - services by state and territory

This numerical listing does not represent an order of merit.

	StateE	Organisation	Type of Organisation	Location
1	NSW	Wellington Aboriginal Corp Health Service	Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service (ACCHS)	Wellington
2	NSW	South Eastern NSW Division of General Practice Ltd with: Katungal Aboriginal Corporation	Division of General Practice ACCHS	Moruya
3	NSW	Hunter New England Health - Gunnedah Health Service	Area Health Service (State)	Gunnedah
4	NSW	Sydney South West Area Health Service	Area Health Service (State)	Liverpool
5	NT	Anyinginyi Health Aboriginal Corporation	ACCHS	Tennant Creek
6	NT	Central Australian Aboriginal Congress	ACCHS	Alice Springs
7	NT	Wurli Wurlingang Health Service	ACCHS	Katherine
8	NT	Sunrise Health Service Aboriginal Corporation	ACCHS	Katherine
9	QLD	Torres Strait and NPA, Queensland Health	State Health Service	Thursday Island
10	QLD	Cape York Health Service District	State Health Service	Weipa
11	QLD	Aboriginal and Islander Community Health Service, Brisbane, with: Yulu Burri Ba Aboriginal Corporation for Community Health, and Inala Indigenous Health Service	ACCHS ACCHS State Health Service	Brisbane
12	QLD	North and West Queensland Primary Health Care Association	Division of General Practice	Mt Isa
13	SA	Pika Wiya Health Service Inc	ACCHS	Port Augusta
14	SA	Umoona Tjuutagku Health Service Inc	ACCHS	Coober Pedy
15	SA	Nganampa Health Council Inc	ACCHS	Anangu Pitjantjatjara Lands
16	SA	Southern Yorke Peninsula Health Service Inc., (Wakefield Health)	State Health Service	Minlation
17	SA	Riverland Health Authority	State Health Service	Berri
18	TAS	Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre	ACCHS	Hobart
19	VIC	Goolum Goolum Aboriginal Cooperative Ltd	ACCHS	Horsham
20	VIC	Yarra Valley Community Health Service	State Health Service	Healesville
21	VIC	Mildura Aboriginal Corporation with: Coomealla Aboriginal Health Corporations Swan Hill and District Aboriginal Co-operative Murray Valley Aboriginal Co-operative, Robinvale	ACCHS	Mildura
22	VIC	Cummergunja Housing & Development Aboriginal Corporation	ACCHS	Moama
23	WA	Derbarl Yerrigan Health Service Inc	ACCHS	Perth
24	WA	Broome Regional Aboriginal Medical Service	ACCHS	Broome
25	WA	Ngangganawili Aboriginal Community Controlled Health and Medical Service Aboriginal Corporation	ACCHS	Wiluna
26	WA	Derby Aboriginal Health Service Council	ACCHS	Derby
27	ACT	Winnunga Nimmitijah Aboriginal Health Service	ACCHS	Canberra

Backgrounder - Healthy for Life

Improving the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people remains one of Australia’s most important and complex health issues. The Howard Government's Indigenous policies aim to empower individuals, families and communities.

Commencing this year, the Healthy for Life program will provide $102.4 million over four years, to improve the health of mothers, babies and children, enhance the quality of life for people with a chronic disease and, over time, reduce the incidence of adult chronic disease. The program will enhance the capacity of primary health care services to improve health outcomes for Indigenous people. More than 80 Healthy for Life sites will be established over the four year initiative.

Child and Maternal Health Care

The health of the mother and child during the early years (including birth weight) affect health outcomes during childhood as well as the development of chronic diseases (renal disease, diabetes and cardiovascular disease) later in life.

Improving access to high quality antenatal and child health care will result in improvements in pregnancy, birth and child health outcomes. It is hoped that better access to regular ante-natal and child health care will improve the health of Indigenous babies, giving them a better start in life.

Chronic Disease

The Healthy for Life program will improve the prevention, early detection and management of chronic disease such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Early detection and treatment helps to a reduce complications associated with chronic disease.

Workforce Development

The Healthy for Life program will increase the number of Indigenous Australians being trained as health professionals. As part of the program 86 new scholarships for Indigenous students in health disciplines will be offered, over four years, through the Puggy Hunter Memorial Scholarship Scheme, with 26 new scholarships offered for the 2006 academic year.

Child Health Check

A new Medicare funded annual health check for Indigenous children aged 0-14 is being developed. The new health assessments will allow doctors to target risk factors for chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease, substance use and other health problems that can commence in childhood or early adolescence. This will complement the existing Medicare-funded Adult Health Check for Indigenous people.