INDIGENOUS MEDICAL SCHOLARSHIPS PROJECT

Ms SIMMONS (Morialta) (15:40): During the Christmas break I had cause to visit my GP—purely routine, I assure you. I have a fantastic family GP, Dr Michael Hawkes, who takes a keen interest in a variety of health and social issues, so I was not surprised when he told me that recently he had been to a 40 year medical school reunion—the year of '67, I understand. At this reunion the doctors present decided to set up a fund to support the Indigenous Medical Scholarships project. This project is a jointly funded initiative between the Australian Rotary Health Research Fund and the South Australian department of human services.

At Michael's suggestion, I was pleased to meet with Dr Helen Sage, who is passionate about this project and initiated the idea for the year of '67 scholarship. She has been inspired by Mr Geoff Bailey, a member of the Mitcham Rotary Club, from whom I have also received correspondence on this issue. He is convinced that this scheme will go a long way to help solve indigenous health issues, especially in rural and remote areas of South Australia.

The aim of the project is to establish a scholarship fund that can be used for the purpose of assisting indigenous students studying medicine, the purpose being to increase the number of indigenous doctors and by doing so improve the health of Aboriginal people, particularly in remote areas of South Australia where access to basic preventative medical treatment is often difficult.

Currently, there are only 35 indigenous doctors in the whole of Australia, with a further 60 indigenous students in medical schools across the country. We know from what indigenous people have told us that being able to talk to a doctor or health professional from their own culture is less daunting and more reassuring than contact with non-indigenous medical and health professionals; yet, of the 150 remote Aboriginal communities surveyed nationally, only 22 had resident medical officers, and some communities have never had a resident doctor. Research also shows that indigenous people living in remote areas are often reluctant to use the services of non-indigenous doctors, resulting in medical conditions not being diagnosed until these people are very sick and in need of hospital care. It is obvious that the lack of primary health care and the lack of cultural knowledge and awareness are the main reasons for this situation.

Indigenous people remain the least healthy sub-population in Australia and there is evidence that the disparity between indigenous and non-indigenous health, at least when measured in terms of mortality, has widened in recent years. The lack of real improvement in indigenous mortality in Australia contrasts markedly with the situation among indigenous people in New Zealand, Canada and the United States. The success achieved in those countries generates considerable confidence that effective action in Australia will produce substantial changes in indigenous health. Examples from other states in Australia such as the Inala Community Health Centre in Brisbane and around the world, such as New Zealand, the Pacific Islands and North Dakota in the US have all found that indigenous doctors can and do make a difference and help improve the health status of their people.

The patients found that the indigenous health team understood their needs better and overall health improved as a result. The indirect benefits are also considerable and must not be dismissed in the mix. Indigenous doctors are important role models. They provide community advocacy and leadership in other related areas such as housing, education and community services. They are more likely than non-indigenous health professionals to persuade other indigenous people to consider career opportunities in health. Without doubt, training more indigenous doctors and health professionals will greatly assist the process of indigenous people and communities taking more control of their health and the way in which services are delivered, particularly in the remote areas of our state.

As a member of the South Australian Reconciliation Board, I would like to encourage members here present and members of the public to support this scheme. We all know that medicine is an expensive, lengthy and arduous course. This scholarship can make all the difference to a struggling indigenous student whose family is less likely to be able to support them than a non-indigenous student. I commend the Australian Rotarians who have a proud record of supporting important health initiatives. I also thank Dr Michael Hawkes, Dr Helen Sage and Mr Geoff Bailey for bringing this important project to my attention.