Better health and ageing for all Australians

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Major funding boost for the Yuendumu community in Central Australia

A major joint funding announcement of around $2 million has been made by the Federal Health Minister, Senator Kay Patterson, and the Northern Territory Minister for Health and Community Services, Jane Aagaard, for the construction of a new health clinic in Yuendumu.

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 11 September 2003

Major funding boost for the Yuendumu community in Central Australia

Today, a major joint funding announcement of around $2 million was made by the Federal Health Minister, Senator Kay Patterson, and the Northern Territory Minister for Health and Community Services, Jane Aagaard, for the construction of a new health clinic in Yuendumu.

The Yuendumu community in remote Central Australia will receive this funding boost to improve health care services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the Warlpiri region, though a collaborative arrangement between the Commonwealth and the Northern Territory Government.

"The Commonwealth Government will provide up to $1 million under the Primary Health Care Access Program (PHCAP) to match funds on a dollar for dollar basis to the
$1 million being provided by the Northern Territory Government," Senator Patterson said.

"The PHCAP initiative aims to increase access to primary health care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, through a partnership approach with State/Territory Governments, ATSIC, the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Sector and in collaboration with local communities," she said.

Minister Aagaard said this partnership approach is highlighted by the joint funding of the new clinic.

"The construction of the new Yuendumu clinic will allow for the expansion of primary health care services in the region and ensure the building is appropriately designed to meet the needs of both health professionals and the local community," Ms Aagaard said.

"Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people continue to experience high levels of chronic illness and the additional services that will be able to be provided through the new clinic, as identified through the PHCAP planing processes, will help to address this," Senator Patterson said.

Senator Patterson said that both she and Minister Aagaard were very pleased that the PHCAP initiative has been so successful in enabling this way of working together and in partnership with AMSANT, ATSIC and the local communities to increase primary health care services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Central Australia.

Media inquiries: Randal Markey or Sarah Higginbottom, Media Advisers, Senator Patterson's office, 02 6277 7220.
Maria Billias, Office of Minister Aagaard, 0401 119 746