Tomorrow's Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting is a crucial opportunity to focus on achieving concrete long-term health improvements for Indigenous people, the AMA said.
The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) will meet in Darwin tomorrow (Thursday) to discuss a strategic national plan for closing the life expectancy gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
Kevin Rudd Promises More Funding To Meet AMA's 3,750 Bed Target
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said the extra funding will result in an extra 1-2 million patients being treated in emergency departments and could mean an additional 3, 750 beds in hospitals in 2008-09.
Advertisement
AMA Federal President, Dr Andrew Pesce, said it is important that governments develop a national plan for Indigenous health in genuine partnership with Indigenous people and health organisations that know what is needed and what will work.
"The Prime Minister has acknowledged that closing the 17-year life expectancy gap between Indigenous and non-indigenous Australians is one of the most significant challenges facing Australia," Dr Pesce said.
![Australian Government Urged To Focus on Health of Indigenous Children]( "Australian Government Urged To Focus on Health of Indigenous Children")
On Close the Gap Day, the AMA has urged governments to improve child health services in Indigenous communities.
"The recent commitment of $1.6 billion through COAG to Indigenous health is a very promising start to tackling this challenge.
"COAG has a responsibility to ensure that this money is used to achieve real and concrete health outcomes for Indigenous people, and isn't simply soaked up by Commonwealth and State bureaucracies at the expense of services on the ground."
Dr Pesce said a priority for a strategic national plan for Indigenous health should be to improve workforce capacity by training more Indigenous doctors and health care workers.
"It should also strengthen the capacity of mainstream health services to provide culturally appropriate primary care for Indigenous people.
"COAG's strategic national plan should contain clear targets and benchmarks for concrete action and health outcomes, and all governments should make a commitment to achieving them," he said.
Source: AMA
LIN
Australian Government Urged To Focus on Health of Indigenous Children
On Close the Gap Day, the AMA has urged governments to improve child health services in Indigenous communities.
Advertisement
"The recent commitment of $1.6 billion through COAG to Indigenous health is a very promising start to tackling this challenge.
"COAG has a responsibility to ensure that this money is used to achieve real and concrete health outcomes for Indigenous people, and isn't simply soaked up by Commonwealth and State bureaucracies at the expense of services on the ground."
Dr Pesce said a priority for a strategic national plan for Indigenous health should be to improve workforce capacity by training more Indigenous doctors and health care workers.
"It should also strengthen the capacity of mainstream health services to provide culturally appropriate primary care for Indigenous people.
"COAG's strategic national plan should contain clear targets and benchmarks for concrete action and health outcomes, and all governments should make a commitment to achieving them," he said.
Source: AMA
LIN
Health Programmes to also Benefit Indigenous People
AMA President, today urged the new Government to bring forward its promised review of the Northern Territory Indigenous initiative and look to extend the successful health programs nationally
Advertisement
Advertisement
|
Advertisement
Latest General Health News
Over 300 people had fallen sick with illness caused by Norovirus on a US cruise ship, say authorities.
Ex-smokers in Wakefield have shared their stories to encourage others to give up cigarettes on No Smoking Day 2023 which falls on 8th March.
Total levels of m6A in the nervous system rise with age and that (some) neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by RNA hypermethylation.
New study provides insights into the impact of early-life adversity on brain development and on control of reward behaviors that underlie emotional disorders
Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia signed a formal memorandum of understanding (MOU) that will expand access to essential diagnostics in the country.