Health a life and death issue for patients
July 1, 2016People should not take health advice from Pete Evans
July 11, 2016AMA (NSW) President, Prof Brad Frankum, says the Federal Government’s withdrawal of millions in funding for Indigenous health services in the state is very disappointing.
“Indigenous health services are vital and do great work in providing culturally appropriate care to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
“This is a segment of the Australian population whose health trails behind that of the rest us.
“While the Commonwealth says it wants to close the Indigenous health gap, actions like this – withdrawing $2.3 million in funding from NSW services – make that seem insincere,” Prof Frankum said.
“I live and work in south western Sydney and I’ve seen how well Aboriginal Medical Services like Tharawal provide care to their communities.
“These are the sorts of practices whose patients suffer when the Federal Government removes funding like this,” Prof Frankum said.
“This withdrawal in funding is part of the broader, sustained attack on health the Commonwealth has been engaged in since the disastrous 2014 Budget.
“More recently, the Federal Government has continued to insult the people of western and south western Sydney, telling them they were fooled by a Labor scare campaign,” Prof Frankum said.
“I would like to draw the Federal Government’s attention to their state counterparts who, notably, are not withdrawing funding from Indigenous health.
“However, the NSW Government will not be able to replace the millions the Federal Government is cutting.
“This will only increase the health gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians and that is the exact opposite of what should be happening,” Prof Frankum said.
Media contact: Lachlan Jones 0419 402 955