Indigenous child health measures welcomed
May 13 2009
The announcement of an additional $204 million for remote primary health in last night’s
budget has been welcomed by the Cooperative Research Centre for Aboriginal Health.
CEO Mick Gooda said the Government’s concentration on building investment in early
childhood development was a “positive strategy” and increased allocations to ear and
eye health is welcome after “an extended period of ignoring the problem and
condemning our children to a life of disability and reduced opportunities.”
“A new long overdue program aimed at improving Indigenous rural and regional dental
health is also welcomed,” said Mick Gooda. “However you would have to question how
far an investment of $11 million over fours years is going to go, given the extent of the
problem and the debilitating impact of poor dental health on a range of other health
outcomes.”
Mr Gooda said the budget allocations to Indigenous education, housing, employment,
infrastructure, sport and other social determinants of health would have a longer term
positive impact of Indigenous health.
“The relationship between these social determinants and the current poor health of our
people means that increased investment in health services without concurrent advances
in areas such as housing quality, education and employment will not necessarily pay the
health-improvement dividends that might otherwise result.
“The key to making sure we get the best results out of health and other investments into
the wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is good evidence about
what the priorities are and what works; and the key to developing this evidence base is
high quality research.
“The CRCAH will continue to provide the Rudd Government and the States and
Territories with the sort of research advice that will ensure dollars go to where they will
have the biggest impact”, said Mick Gooda.
“One area that needs an immediate boost is health workforce training and we intend to
work to ensure that a fair share of the $108 million allocated to increase access to higher
education for students from disadvantaged backgrounds is used to increase the current
low representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students studying medicine
and the health sciences.”
For further information:
Alastair Harris CRCAH Communications – 0409 658 177
NEWS 
