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Call for election focus on Indigenous health

28 January 2005 - A peak body representing Aboriginal medical services (AMSs) across Western Australia has called for Indigenous health to be made a priority in the election campaign.

The West Australian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation says the major parties need to focus on the continuing problem of chronic diseases in Indigenous communities.

The organisation says it has had to cancel vital research projects because its state funding has been cut by almost $500,000.

Spokeswoman Vanessa Davies says the organisation wants a pledge that adequate funds will be restored.

"What happens is that some of the priorities and strategic directions for Aboriginal health in WA fall along the wayside - there's no mechanism there or limited mechanism for all of the AMSs to get together to be speaking with Government about setting and establishing those sorts of priorities," she said.

The State Government says the funding was cut for a good reason.

Sue Ellery, the parliamentary secretary to the Minister for Health, says a series of inquiries found the public money was not being spent appropriately.

"The money was reallocated to programs to be delivered out in key rural and remote areas in Aboriginal communities, delivering health care related to sexually transmitted infections, which is a very serious issue, particularly in remote and rural Aboriginal communities," she said.

Source: ABC

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