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key indigenous australian issues
| home | news lCaritas applauds Indigenous communities doing it for themselvesCaritas Australia congratulates its Indigenous development partner Unity of First Peoples Australia (UFPA), for the dramatic impact its diabetes program has had in addressing this important Indigenous health issue. Dr John Boulton from the WA Country Health Service evaluated the program at Mowanjum community east of Derby and found “we have evidence of the success of the program both in terms of improving the care of adolescents with diabetes and in changing the community capacity to cope with the future predicted exponential increase in diabetes in all age groups”. Introduce at Mowanjum in September 2006, the community-based program is implemented at the direction of a working group of community elders and representatives from UFPA, WA Country Health Service and Princess Margaret Hospital. “The first objective of the program has been achieved, which is providing a comprehensive diabetes education program for young people with diabetes. We are also on track to achieve the second objective, which is for the adolescents to achieve acceptable levels of glucose control,” Dr Boulton said. “The cost effectiveness of this outcome can be counted in terms of dollars saved on the hospital treatment as well as transport to Perth and particularly in the social and emotional costs which have been avoided by the parents not needing to go to Perth for such a disruptive period”. Ernie Bridge, President of UFPA said “the results are very pleasing and consistent with the results achieved so far in other remote Kimberley communities where the UFPA diabetes program has been introduced”. Jack de Groot, CEO of Caritas Australia stated, “we are very proud of the achievements of all the staff, volunteers and participants in the UFPA diabetes program. The UFPA model is one which directly reflects the focus of Caritas Australia in empowering communities to be in charge of their own development future.” “The success of this community directed and implemented project is testament to the fact that Indigenous communities have the capabilities and are able to implement life changing programs in a manner that is sustainable and community owned. UFPAs model of development is a lesson to us all as Indigenous affairs come under the microscope,” said Mr. de Groot. Currently Caritas Australia, as part of the ‘Close the Gap’ coalition is calling on the Australian Government to direct a further $460 million per year to address the crisis in Indigenous health. For more information see the Close the Gap campaign. For more information contact Tim O’Connor Source: CARITAS Australia related links:
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its one year on from the Australian Governments controversial intervention into NT Indigenous communities
action Roll back, listen to Indigenous community voices speaking about the intervention |
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