Like most things in life, “seeing is believing.” Or, should it be said that when you visit a remote Indigenous community thousands of miles from suburban Melbourne, you realise we as a country have a long way to go to “Close the Gap;” ie- address the disparity in living conditions, resources, opportunites for First Nations Peoples.
It has long been documented that there are serious deficits in the health of First Nations Peoples. Remote communities especially suffer from lack of access to what many of us would consider mainstream medical care.
Past President Ruth McCall and husband Dr Peter McCall were grateful for their visit to the remote Kaltukatjara community 670 kms SW from Alice Springs recently.
The community comprises 300 Indigenous residents who have strong cultural ties to the area.
( insert photo of may here)
Challenges to the community are numerous.
When talking to the staff at the Medical Centre, we heard they do not have an Ultrasound machine, so the logistical and cultural challenges for getting patients, namely pregnant women to Alice Springs for Ultrasound monitoring is extremely difficult. The expense is a huge factor, and a community bus trip takes 14 hours one way, assuming the roads are navigatible. Ultrasound scanning is used commonly for a whole range of medical conditions, and is a vital piece of medical equipment that is missing here.
It is with great pleasure that Rotary Preston have donated $10,000 to the Central Australian Aboriginal Congress so that they are now able to purchase an Ultrasound machine for Kaltujatjara. We thank also the Rotary Club of Moreland for their donation, and we know that this will be a wonderful asset to the Kaltukatjara people.
It is worth noting too that the artistry of the local community is truly wonderful. In such a harsh environment, it was a joy to see community come together, expressing their culture and spirituality through art. It also provides much needed income for the artist. More on that next week!