Advocacy Outreach
Advocacy Outreach is a program that works with the people living in the town camps around Nhulunbuy.
Whilst primarily concerned with anti-social behaviour associated with alcohol abuse, it also cares for the health and welfare of these people by assisting them to obtain medical care, providing education in hygiene and lifestyle diseases and encouraging traditional activities such as art, hunting and fishing. The program is also active in collecting litter that accumulates around the town “camps” and encouraging reasonable standards of hygiene to be maintained.
Education and Training
In 1997, Miwatj Health became a registered training organisation for the delivery and assessment of programs to train Aboriginal Health Workers. Our first program, Certificate III in Aboriginal Primary Health Care, commenced on March 9th, 1998 with 16 participants.
The training facility also provides training in areas relevant to the provision of health services, including management skills, use of the computerised database “HealthPlanner” and professional development.
“Health Planner” - Patient Information Database
Since its inception in 1992, Miwatj Health has maintained a database of health information for the population that it serves on a computerised database known as “Health Planner”.
This database has continued to grow and now contains around 6,000 basic health records for our clients. This tool is invaluable when visiting outstations, as the information can be taken into the field on laptop computers and provides the health staff with up to date information and recall lists without the need to transport masses of paper files.
A further benefit of this database is that information can be shared between the health services that access it, allowing them to provide better treatment for visiting patients in an area where the population is highly mobile.
Miwatj Health is currently in the process of updating to the Patient Recall System (FERRET) which will replace the Health Planner System.
HIV/STD Project at Gapuwiyak
With funding from the Commonwealth Government’s HIV/AIDS special funds grant we have established a men’s clinic at Gapuwiyak.
Working with the existing clinic, an old “donga” has been refurbished to create a men’s clinic and is staffed by male health workers. Miwatj provided the basic equipment and renovations, assisted in developing protocols and reporting methods and continues to provide a part-time support person to the project.
Whilst the focus is on the detection and treatment of STDs and providing sexual health education, a holistic approach to men’s health is maintained and screening, treatment and education in a broad range of health areas is conducted.
The success of this program is demonstrated by its acceptance and support by the community, the significant reduction in STD infections since the program began and the number of men using the service who did not previously present at the clinic except in emergencies.
It is proposed to further develop this project by offering similar support to other interested communities.
Support of Community Based Health Services in the Miwatj Region
A further role of Miwatj Health is to provide support to other community based health services in the region. This may be in the form of dissemination of information and knowledge, advice about management and financial issues or by assisting in establishing links between service providers.
Special funding from OATSIHS was received in the 1996/97 financial year to conduct a workshop and follow-up discussions that allowed local communities interested in recruiting a General Practitioner to explore the issues involved in doing so.
In the past year a doctor has been recruited to Galiwin’ku and it is hoped that at least two communities will have their own doctor next year.
Miwatj Health manages a health service at Marngarr on a sub-contract basis to Marngarr Community Council. Marngarr Community Council is the recipient of funding from OATSIHS and THS which felt at the time of the grants being allocated, that they did not have the expertise to set-up and manage their own health service and asked Miwatj to perform this management role.
Recently, Marngarr Council advised its wishes to take control of its service, while maintaining close ties with Miwatj Health and the transfer will take place over the next six months.