Issue 16, January 2012

Welcome

Welcome to the first edition of CEO Communique for 2012. I hope you all had a relaxing and much deserved break over the festive season. It is good to be able to begin the New Year with revitalised minds and renewed enthusiasm for the year ahead.

Many of you will have read a widely circulated letter by Tauto Sansbury which highlights the grief and loss crisis faced by many Aboriginal families in South Australia as 2012 begins. This letter has brought attention back to the inequitable disparity in life expectancy between Aboriginal and non – Aboriginal people, an unacceptable statistic that continues to defy efforts to close this gap.

AHCSA, with its members, is committed to working with government, other service providers and Aboriginal communities to address the multi-faceted health and social factors that lie behind the recent premature deaths of Aboriginal people in South Australia.

As we know, Aboriginal Health Workers are often on the frontline within our health services, dealing daily with the impact of grief and loss within their communities. With this in mind, 2012 will be an important time for the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Worker Association (NATSIHWA), who represent and support AHWs across Australia and who will be holding their Annual General Meeting on Tuesday 31 January 2012 in Adelaide. I encourage all Aboriginal Health Workers to attend this significant event.

As we move forward through the upcoming year, AHCSA staff and Members Council look forward to working collaboratively with you to meet the health needs of Aboriginal people in SA.

Kind regards

Mary Buckskin
Chief Executive Officer

Research & Ethics

Last year marked twenty five years since the inaugural meeting of the Aboriginal Health Research Ethics Committee (AHREC). This anniversary was celebrated with dinner and ‘Certificates of Appreciation’ being awarded to AHREC members, as well as a plaque and painting which will hang at the office of the AHCSA. To support the important work of the AHREC members, training sessions are being planned in 2012. The core business of the AHREC continued throughout 2011, with 50 ethics applications being approved between February and December. In 2012, an audit of the main areas of research approved by the AHREC will be undertaken, along with surveying the AHCSA’s member organisations about areas of research they wish to be developed. These activities will assist the AHCSA and our member services in a number of ways, and will also help to inform the development of a research policy.

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Trachoma Elimination

Late 2011 saw the Trachoma Elimination Team travelling to Oak Valley and Yalata in order to assess the prevalence of trachoma within these Aboriginal communities. The results of the screening indicated a significant incidence of trachoma, necessitating a community wide treatment approach. The fact that trachoma exists within these communities highlights the need for ongoing trachoma screening in other Aboriginal communities across rural and remote South Australia. In February 2012 the Trachoma Elimination Team will conduct trachoma screening in Coober Pedy and Oddnadatta and is confident that further funding will be attained in order to continue this essential service to improve the eye health of Aboriginal people.

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Good Medicines Better Health (GMBH)

AHCSA is currently working with members to identify suitable Senior Aboriginal Health Workers (AHW) who might be interested in undertaking the GMBH Train the Trainer Module. The aim of this module is to equip the Senior AHW with the skills and knowledge to be able to provide education to both colleagues and community members. If you are interested in participating, please contact Darryl Cameron, GMBH Coordinator at darryl.cameron@ahcsa.org.au.

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AHCSA News

The next edition of AHCSA News will be out in early 2012. If you would like to be added to the distribution list, please call Amanda Mitchell on (08) 8273 7200.

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Disclaimer

CEO Communiqué is copyright to the Aboriginal Health Council of SA Inc. (AHCSA). No part may be reproduced without the prior written permission of the Chief Executive Officer of AHCSA. Whilst every care is taken to ensure that the information contained in this newsletter is accurate, errors and omissions may occur. If you do not wish to receive this newsletter, we apologise for any inconvenience caused and ask that you click the unsubscribe link in the menu.

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