• BUStopping the Pandemic campaign
• NACCHO PHMO talks with Officeworks GM
• Smile Squad dental vans used in vax push
• Key issues impacting ear health care
• Kicking Australia’s smoking addiction
• Healing Foundation CEO interview
• Sport important to mob, but barriers
• Food security grant now open
• New process for job advertising

BUStopping the Pandemic campaign

Danila Dilba and AMSANT along with Central Australian Aboriginal Congress (CAAAC) in Mparntwe / Alice Springs, have launched a new look to their bus services.

“As we all step up our efforts to vaccinate as many people as we can, we figured our messages should be taken to the streets,” AMSANT CEO John Paterson said today.

“Our messages are clear: we want to protect our Elders, our Kids and our Communities. We urge everyone in Darwin to take a look at the buses, and go and get the jab.” The BUStopping the Pandemic campaign was part of the blitz to increase vaccination rates in the Greater Darwin region and central Australia.

“We are aiming high, we want to achieve 90%+ double vaccination for everyone – with a particular push on getting to the most vulnerable in our community,” said Mr Paterson. John Paterson also welcomed the involvement with BUStopping the Pandemic through Congress. “Cuz Congress features prominently on two buses in Mparntwe / Alice Springs – with the same message: “Get Vaccinated!”

To view AMSANT’s media release click here.

NACCHO PHMO speaks with Officeworks GM

Jason Mifsud, Head of First Nations Affairs and Enterprise at Wesfarmers and Alex Staley, General Manager Corporate Affairs at Officeworks, have spoken with Dr Jason Agostino, GP, Epidemiologist, Medical Advisor at NACCHO and Shaun Burgoyne, former AFL player about COVID-19 vaccines and misinformation, making an informed choice, Officeworks staff and the future.

You can watch the video below:

Smile Squad dental vans used in vax push

Minister for Health, Martin Foley, and Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Gabrielle Williams, say some of Victoria’s ‘Smile Squad’ dental vans will be used to support targeted vaccination efforts, in partnership with the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO), community leaders and mainstream health services.

The first of three dedicated COVID-19 Vaccine Vans will hit the road this week, travelling to the City of Greater Shepparton, with another van travelling to the City of Latrobe later in the week. The mobile vaccination units will be staffed and run by Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations and mainstream partners to remove transport and geographic barriers to access among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Victorians. Over the last several weeks, vaccination in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community has been increasing week on week as further clinics continue to open.

To view the Min Foley’s media release in full click here.

Key issues impacting ear health care

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in Australia experience some of the highest rates of ear disease and associated hearing loss in the world. This has been and continues to remain a significant health issue. In the 2018-19 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey (NATSIHS), the proportion of Indigenous Australians with measured hearing loss (43%) was higher than self-reported hearing loss (12%) among those aged seven and over.

Additionally, in some remote NT communities, studies have found rates of ear disease and hearing loss in children be as high as 90%. The World Health Organisation (WHO) considers a4% prevalence rate of Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media (CSOM) as a “public health emergency” requiring immediate attention. Whilst the rate of CSOM among Indigenous children has declined 24% in 2001 to 14%in 2012, these prevalence rates remain extremely high with profound, long-term impacts for Aboriginal children and
adults.

The report Needs analysis: key issues impacting primary health care sector capacity to improve ear and hearing health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres strait Islander children in the NT prepared by AMSANT’s Ear Coordination Program can be accessed here.

Kicking Australia’s smoking addiction

From 1 October 2021, Australians who use e-cigarettes and other vaping products containing nicotine will need a doctor’s prescription to buy them from a local pharmacy or to order them from overseas.

But there’s another evidence-based way to help more smokers quit, which Australia is yet to act on: reducing the nicotine in cigarettes to non-addictive levels. And e-cigarettes could play an important role in this policy.

If you know someone who’s ever tried to stop smoking and failed, nicotine addiction is likely the reason they found it so hard. While nicotine itself is not a significant direct cause of the health harms from smoking, it makes tobacco products highly addictive.

To view the full article in The Conversation click here.

Healing Foundation CEO interview

Intergenerational trauma is a massive problem for Australia’s First Nations people. There are efforts being made, though, to heal that trauma so that people living can actually move on with their lives without being anchored to the horrors of the past. Three Torres Strait Island communities have actually taken some really significant steps in regard to this.

Dauan, Saibai, and Kerriri islands have all been involved in conversations around healing with The Healing Foundation to try and create a roadmap towards improvement in their health.

The Healing Foundation’s CEO, Fiona Cornforth recently spoke with Adam Stephen about the journey that these islands have taken, their residents, and what this roadmap will actually look like and what it might achieve for those that have been hurt.

You can view a transcript of the interview click here and watch a short video about the Torres Strait Island (Kerriri) Healing Forum below.

Sport important to mob, but barriers

Physical activity and sport are important in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. Traditional activities like hunting and caring for Country are still practised today. These activities require physical exertion and have cultural significance.

Organised sport is important in many regional and remote communities where higher numbers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples live. This can be seen through competitions like the NSW Koori Knockout and the NAIDOC Netball Carnival.

Many factors influence Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participation in physical activity and sport. These can be classified as facilitators, that enable participation, or barriers, that can make participation more challenging.

Data from the  Australian Bureau of Statistics show fewer than 4 in 10 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults are doing enough physical activity. This is despite high Indigenous representation in professional sport, for example in Rugby League and AFL.

To view the full UNSW Sydney article click here.

Food security grant round open

Applications for the $5 million Strengthening Remote Communities – Food Security Grant Opportunity have now opened.  The Minister for Indigenous Australians, the Hon Ken Wyatt AM MP, said ensuring a reliable supply of essential goods, groceries and other critical supplies in remote communities is a high priority.

“In the 2021-22 Budget we committed to invest in remote stores to improve food security and strengthen supply chains. This grant delivers on our commitment,” Minister Wyatt said. “There are over 200 community stores providing food and essential groceries to remote Indigenous communities on a daily basis. These stores provide a crucial community service but can face significant barriers, including poor road access, seasonal isolation, cold supply chain interruptions and inflated maintenance costs.”

To view the media release here and find additional information about the grants, including Grant Opportunity Guidelines on GrantConnect here.

New process for job advertising

NACCHO have introduced a new system for the advertising of job adverts via the NACCHO website and you can find the sector job listings here.

Click here to go to the NACCHO website where you can complete a form with job vacancy details – it will then be approved for posting and go live on the NACCHO website.