Improving Indigenous Health

There is an alarming disparity between the health and wellbeing of Indigenous Australians and other Australians.

In many Indigenous communities across Australia, levels of poverty are comparable to those in some developing countries, with the life expectancy of Indigenous Australians 17 years less than that of all Australians. In some parts of the country, between 65 and 75 percent of Indigenous people die before the age of 65. The mortality rate of Australia’s Indigenous infants is comparable to those of some developing countries.  
 
Indigenous Australians have fewer opportunities to maintain and improve their health and life situation than non-Indigenous Australians. They do not have the same access to employment, housing, medical services and education, nor are they equally engaged in our social and political systems.
 
Those who live in remote and isolated areas suffer the greatest disadvantage.
 
While there have been some improvements to Indigenous health over recent years, the disparity remains. It needn’t be this way and it has to change.

The Fred Hollows Foundation takes a comprehensive approach to improving the health and life opportunities of Indigenous people. Our work with Indigenous communities is the legacy of the late Professor Fred Hollows, who was committed to helping Indigenous Australians.

Our program has a major focus on communities in the Katherine region of the Northern Territory, among the most remote of communities in Australia. These communities are distant from health and education services, have fewer employment opportunities and because the cost of living can be so high, it is impossible for people on low incomes to afford a nutritious diet.

Our program reach is expanding and we are negotiating program developments in other states. The recently launched Central Australia Eye Health Program will provide eye care services to people living in remote communities throughout the Northern Territory, the top of South Australia and the desert regions of Western Australia. More recently we have also expanded to include remote areas of western New South Wales.

Our Indigenous Program operates as a series of interrelated projects that address the underlying causes of health inequity. They target:

• Nutrition;
• Literacy;
• Eye health;
• Aural health;
• Women's and children's health;
• Workforce and governance skills;
• Community engagement.

The Indigenous Program works only through partnerships with Indigenous organizations including traditional owners' associations, Indigenous managed health services and women's and community centres. Using a partnership approach it aims to empower the communities to realise their own successes. It sees itself as a resource for partners, so they have the tools to do the work they have identified as priorities.

Together with our Indigenous partners, The Foundation has made strong in-roads to improving the health of people in the communities with which we work.

We have achieved many results throughout the various projects, that together, are improving the overall well-being of the communities. These have included: 

• Through the Community Stores Project, management of the local grocery stores was returned to the Indigenous communities. Retail management training was provided to local store managers and improvements were made to the supply, storage and sale of fresh and nutritious foods within the communities.
• Following lobbying by The Foundation, the Northern Territory Department of Education, Employment and Training provided one million dollars in funding and a new school was built in the community of Manyallaluk, NT. Previously, students were making a 120 kilometre round trip to attend school at another community.
• Secured funding for a new Community Resource Centre at Wugularr, east of Katherine in the Northern Territory. Located near the local school, the centre will provide new literacy and computer resources for the whole community.
• Implemented the Money $tory financial literacy training program in Indigenous communities to assist in community management and governance.
• Assisted a local women's centre to establish a program that provides a nutritious breakfast to school children.
• Provided books and other literacy learning materials to schools and students.
• Supported performances and workshops by Indigenous musicians and artists to re-engage Indigenous youth in learning and literacy.
• Sponsored local young people to attend the Outback Chef cooking course.
• Trained local people in management and governance skills.

The work of The Foundation and Professor Fred Hollows with Indigenous Australians has been well recognised, including:

• Winner of the National Award for Excellence in Community Business Partnerships in recognition of the successful partnership between The Foundation, Woolworths and the Wugularr community for the Community Stores Program. (2005)
• Winner of the Northern Territory ‘Large Business Category' Award in the Prime Minister's Community Business Partnership Awards Scheme. The award also recognised the successful partnership between The Foundation, Woolworths and the community of Wugularr in the Community Stores Program. (2004)
• In 2004, Professor Fred Hollows was entered into The Hall of Fame in the inaugural NSW Aboriginal Health Awards. Fred's work with Indigenous communities earned him many awards. Find out more.

Close the Gap is a national campaign to close the gap between the life expectancy of Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. Indigenous Australians on average have a life expectancy that is 17 years less than that of non-Indigenous Australians.

The Foundation is calling on the Australian government to do more to improve Indigenous life expectancy. The Foundation is asking the government to ensure that Indigenous people have equal access to health services, increase support for Indigenous managed health services, develop an Indigenous health workforce and address the other social determinants of health such as housing, education and social justice.

The Close the Gap campaign is a coalition of more than 40 non-government development, community and health organisations and is supported by tens of thousands of Australians.

The Foundation has also drawn up a Strategic Framework for its work to improve the health of Indigenous Australians. The Framework outlines our commitment to:

• Continue to partner with the Jawoyn people and communities in the region east of Katherine, NT, and expand our work to other regions;
• Build the capacities of Indigenous organisations so that they are able to improve their people's health;
• Foster and promote eye health systems that work for Indigenous people;
• Adopt a framework that allows us to identify and address the social determinants of Indigenous health and the realisation of Indigenous rights;
• Advocate locally, regionally and nationally for changes to systems and policies that adversely affect the health of Indigenous people.

Find out further information on: 

> Fred Hollows' ground-breaking work to improve Indigenous eye health through the National Trachoma and Eye Health Program.

> Our work to improve the health of Indigenous Australians - view the Indigenous Program information.

> The Foundation's campaign to Close the Gap between Australian Indigenous and non-Indigenous life expectancy.

> The Foundation's role in improving the health of Indigenous Australians, download our Indigenous Health information sheet  (227kb).

> Our work in Indigenous literacy - download the Indigenous Literacy information sheet  (87kb).

> The work of Professor Fred Hollows.

> Our Strategic Framework 2006-2010.