- ACCHOs stay the course on vaccine rollout
- Wellington Aboriginal Health Service produces vaccine videos
- New resources based on latest AstraZeneca advice
- EveryBODY is Deadly
- Lives need to be valued and culture known
- Youth calls to bridge gaps in health system
ACCHOs stay the course on vaccine rollout
In 2020, ACCHOs played a key role in keeping Indigenous communities safe and informed about coronavirus. Now, more than 100 of these organisations are helping to vaccinate their communities. But the changed advice around the AstraZeneca vaccine is throwing up challenges and in the Torres Strait and Cape York in Queensland, the rollout has been paused.
NACCHO’s Deputy CEO and co-chair of the COVID-19 Advisory Group for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, Dr Dawn Casey. Dr Lorraine Anderson, Medical Director of Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Services and Dr Tony Brown, Executive Director of Medical Services for the Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service spoke on ABC Radio National Life Matters with Michael Mackenzie earlier this morning.
To lister to the discussion click here.
Saibai Island Councillor Conwell Tabuai being vaccinated by nurse Sue Bowler. Image source: The Sydney Morning Herald.
Wellington Aboriginal Health Service produces vaccine videos
Wellington Aboriginal Corporation Health Service (WACHS) has produced a number of videos featuring health professionals talking about the COVID-19 vaccine.
The first video (2:13 minutes) is of Dr Bijay, General Practitioner, WACHS.
Dr Bijay, GP Wellington Aboriginal Corporation Health Service.
Pharmacist Alice Nugent has recorded the following three videos:
What are AstraZeneca and Pfizer? (17:47 minutes)
How does the COVID-19 vaccine work? (2 minutes)
What are Oxford AstraZeneca and Pfizer Biotech? (2 minutes)
Alice Nugent. Pharmacist – Wellington Aboriginal Corporation Health Service & NACCHO Medicine Policy & Program team.
New resources based on latest AstraZeneca advice
The Department of Health as put together a kit for ACCHOS based on the new recommendations regarding the AstraZeneca vaccine, to support their work with patients.
The resources include:
- a video featuring Dr Lucas de Toca summarising the new information and recommendations that have arisen regarding AstraZeneca and the change in the vaccination rollout
- social media content including two new social tiles that ACCHOs can use in promoting the new information to their followers/patients, as well as some suggested captions to use alongside them
- a poster that can be printed and displayed in your clinics
- information for ACCHOs – document answering new questions that may arise from patients about the AstraZeneca vaccine.
Image source: BBC News.
EveryBODY is Deadly
Over 1 million Australians are living with an eating disorder. Less than a quarter of those receive treatment or support. Butterfly Foundation is a national charity organisation for all Australians impacted by eating disorders and body image issues, and for the families, friends and communities who support them.
Anybody, from any mob, can have eating or body concerns. Eating or body image concerns can weaken your mind, body and spirit. It’s not about your body size – and it’s different for different people. But reaching out to talk it out with friends, family or the free Butterfly Foundation Helpline can help. The helpline is a confidential safe space with qualified counsellors who have ongoing cultural competence training.
Butterfly Foundation talked to two mob about their experience with eating and body image concerns. From their highs and lows, to the way they are rising above, they learned that yarning can help.
Garigarra Mundine is from Dubbo, NSW. She is Wiradjuri and Kamilaroi on her mother’s side, and Bundjulung and Yuin on her father’s. Garra’s passion is to advocate and promote Indigenous culture through art and advocacy. She works for the Australian government in Canberra and uses her weaving skills passed down by elders to create art pieces. To view Garra’s story click here.
Felicia Foxx is fabulous, fierce and flashy. Her mob is the Kamilaroi tribe from Walgett and Dhunghutti tribe from Kempsey. Felicia Foxx started her drag career at 16 years old to inspire youth to be their most charismatic selves and broaden the visibility of the LGBTQIA+ community in Aboriginal communities. To view Felicia’s story click here.
To access the Butterfly Foundation’s website click here.
Lives need to be valued and culture known
Meena Singh, a Yorta Yorta and Indian woman, born and living on the land of the Kulin Nations, is the Legal Director of the Human Rights Law Centre and is currently undertaking her PhD at Melbourne Law School, looking at how the experiences of women of colour as lawyers can impact on legal practice and knowledge. Meena has written an article for IndigenousX examining what keeps us [Aboriginal people] safe, and what will stop more deaths in custody.
To view the IndigenousX article in full click here.
Meena Singh. Image source: ABC Radio Melbourne.
Youth calls to bridge gap in health system
The challenges facing young people in the health system and potential remedies are aired by Youth Health Forum leaders in a new video released today. The video features two young health leaders, Jasmine Elliott and Roxxanne MacDonald, explaining the challenges for young people in transitioning from child-centred to adult services.
They say a key challenge for young people is that “the current system is not designed for us”.
The video is based on the Youth Health Forum-commissioned report on Life Transitions and Youth Pathways to Health Services which revealed the significant barriers to services facing many young people, particularly those with chronic health conditions.
The report identified six key challenges for young people in health care including trusting health services, transitioning to adult care, delivering digital services and building more equitable services.
To read the Consumers Health Forum of Australia Youth Health Forum media release in full click here.
Image source: HIMSS website.