Cairns inquest into RHD deaths of three women at Doomadgee brings anger to surface

Deep-seated institutional racism was behind the deaths of three women in a remote outback community, a family member and activist says.

A CORONIAL inquest into the deaths of three women as a consequence of rheumatic heart disease (RHD) has brought anger over what the Doomadgee community believes is longstanding institutional racism to the surface.

Speaking outside the Coroner’s Court on Friday, Alec Doomadgee said the death of 17-year-old Kaya could have been prevented if her case had been taken seriously earlier.

“Imagine if Kaya was a blond-haired, blue-eyed white girl, and she presented at a hospital in Cairns, and they found her artificial heart valve leaking – do you think they would let her walk out the door? I don’t think so,” Mr Doomadgee said.

“She would have been rushed to emergency, she would have been operated on, given the best health care in this country.

Thompson George, 17, and parents Terence George and Weenie George lost their 17-year-old sister and daughter Kaya, who died in Brisbane Children’s Hospital on September 12, 2020, after failing to recover from surgery. Picture: Brendan Radke

“But Kaya was just another little black girl from the bush.”

He said Ms Sandy died over four days in which she was continually turned away from the Doomadgee Hospital.

“She was dismissed, she was made to feel like an inconvenience, and she was certainly turned away due to her race,” Mr Doomadgee said.

He called on Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to forget about Path to Treaty and prioritise health.

“All the talks on treaty and money being thrown around – we need a truthful conversation about the health care of Aboriginal people and the inadequacy of an Aboriginal community health facility and under funding,” Mr Doomadgee said.

“In the last six months alone, we’ve lost 15 people in Doomadgee due to heart attacks – so come and talk to us before we’re all dead, because you will have no-one to treaty with soon.”

He said a two-year-old fell ill in recent months and her family called an ambulance – the call went to Brisbane, Mt Isa and back to Doomadgee and it took 40 minutes for the ambulance to arrive.

The little girl died.

Alec Doomadgee, who cared for Kaya for many years when she went to school in Sydney and Cairns, says institutional racism is at the heart of the deaths of three women who had rheumatic heart disease in the remote gulf township of Doomadgee.

Mr Doomadgee said he had heard blame being passed from one health-care provider to another during the inquest.

“They’re playing Russian roulette with Aboriginal lives in the community … it’s all about money,” Mr Doomadgee said.

“The world needs to know that these three young women lost their lives due to a system that ignored them, they were a part of our daily lives and they were very important to us.”

Betty’s sister Paula said she would like to see a doctor come to the community and stay for a length of time.

“We need a doctor to come and stay, and check people over properly, not send them home with Panadol,” she said.

The inquest before Northern Coroner Nerida Wilson into the deaths of Kaya, Betty, 18, and Ms Sandy, 37, started at Doomadgee before a week of hearings in Cairns.

The inquest into the deaths of three women at Doomadgee this week was critical of Doomadgee Hospital with evidence of under funding, under staffing, and critical communication problems.

The inquest will make findings on the adequacy of the primary health services provided by Gidgee Healing at Doomadgee in providing treatment, education and follow-up regarding diagnosis of RHD.

It will look at the adequacy of care provided by Doomadgee Hospital – particularly in the six months leading up to the women’s deaths.

It will also look at whether there was a delay transferring Kaya to the Queensland Children’s Hospital for surgery and the adequacy of care provided by the Queensland Children’s Hospital.

Originally published as Cairns inquest into RHD deaths of three women at Doomadgee brings anger to surface