$9 million investment in indigenous health

MARCH 12, 2015: THERE is security in healthcare for Mackay’s Indigenous community with the Liberal National Government announcing a $9 million investment in primary and preventable health care as part of their ongoing commitment to closing the gap.The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Health Service Mackay Ltd (ATSICHS Mackay) will have their funding extended for another three years to ensure they can deliver important health care and treatment in local communities.Although there has been improvement, we all know there is much work to be done with Indigenous health outcomes.This funding reaffirms the Abbott Government’s commitment to closing the gap and to meeting the Government’s priorities of assisting Indigenous Australians in the areas of work, education and health.Overall this Government is investing $3.1 billion over the next four financial years on Indigenous health, an increase of over $500 million when compared with the previous four years.[box style="1 or 2"]The funding will support four programmes offered by ATSICHS Mackay;

• Primary Health Care – $5,483,142.70
• New Directions: Mothers & Babies – $1,762,083.95
• Healthy for Life – $1,501,734.76
• Indigenous Outreach Workers – $280,859.21

ATSI Community Health Service Mackay Ltd is one of 112 Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations across Australia that will share in $1.4 billionIt will be delivered over three years – from 2015-16 to 2017-18 – to ACCHOs to continue delivering essential primary health care to Indigenous communities.[/box]The Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations play a vital role in our efforts to close the gap in health outcomes through working with communities to improve access for Indigenous families to primary or preventative health care.