The federal government has clinical teams ready to help
THE Commonwealth has said it has “clinical teams available” to assist the Northern Territory’s government respond to growing pressures in remote communities.
Indigenous Affairs
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TUES 15 FEB: THE Commonwealth has said it has “clinical teams available” to assist the Northern Territory’s government respond to growing pressures in remote communities.
In a statement to the NT News the Federal Department of Health spokesperson said support was available for health services.
“To manage the vaccine roll out and limit the impact on existing health services, the Government already has teams of clinicians available, and these have been offered...”
The news follows concerns from peak bodies’ about the pressures on Aboriginal health practitioners in the bush.
AMSANT has been calling for a ‘surge workforce’ since before Christmas to assist remote clinics manage covid - including vaccinations, test and trace, and manage positive cases - however only a few communities have had support.
AMSANT chief executive John Paterson said some additional staff had been provided but that could be ‘ramped up’.
“The workforce is only contracted to provide surge vaccinations and not assist with outbreak management,” he said.
“There is a risk that we will have increased rates of avoidable morbidity and mortality from other causes if we do not get additional assistance soon, as many of our services have diverted nearly all their resources to managing the Covid outbreak.”
In recent weeks a surge workforce was sent to Galiwin’ku and Royal Flying Doctors have been supporting vaccination days in the community.
Mr Paterson said this was an opportunity for the Commonwealth and NT government to work together and activate the National Critical Care and Trauma Response team. He said this team could also be supplemented with Australian Defence Force staff.
The Commonwealth also said a number of other workforce supports were currently being provided.
The key support was a national Covid vaccine taskforce that was partnering with Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations in “most jurisdictions.”
Nationally $34.6m has been provided to National Aboriginal Controlled Community Health Organisation (NACCHO) to support pandemic preparedness, response and vaccine roll-outs for Covid-19. This also included $6.9m nationally in the first year of the pandemic to facilitate culturally safe access to testing in communities.
MON 14 FEB: UNDER a national agreement the NT Government could be in breach of its commitment to Close The Gap as Covid overwhelms Aboriginal communities.
According to clause 64b of the National Partnership on Closing the Gap the NT Government agreed to ensure “emergencies such as natural disasters and pandemics” would not “disproportionately affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people”.
In an interview on ABC Territory Chief Minister Michael Gunner said “it is impacting Aboriginal more than non-Aboriginal (people)”.
“Hospitalisation (rates) are normally around 70 per cent Aboriginal (people) and it’s currently between 80 and 90 per cent - I think currently around 90 for Covid related impacts. So it is impacting Aboriginal people more,” he said.
The NT News asked if the Chief Minister’s office believed they were in breach of the partnership, however a spokesman said the Territory Labor Government’s response to Covid-19 pandemic has the same goals as Land Councils and Aboriginal community Controlled Health Organisations.
“The NTG has always shared information, vaccine and testing resources with Aboriginal community Controlled Health Organisations and will keep working with the sector to provide appropriate care to those who need it,” he said.
According to data obtained by the NT News from the Federal Government more than $57.8m (over the two years 2019-20 and 2020-21) was distributed nationally to help remote communities prepare for and manage Covid.
The funding was for mobile respiratory clinics in remote communities, early retrieval and medical evacuation of positive cases and to support planning preparedness.
In the same statement from the Commonwealth, the Federal Government said it would “provide Australian Defence Force (ADF) support if requested by the NT Government”.
In recent weeks, both Northern Territory Land Councils and Aboriginal Controlled Health Organisations called for more defence support to erect isolation tents and assist with logistical needs – transport and food supply – in remote communities.
These calls were dismissed by the Territory government and the Territory Controller referred to ACCHOS requests as ‘catastrophising’.
Mr Gunner said he “understood” what ACCHOs were asking for but he “disagreed” saying the government need to “concentrate resources into those communities that have actual Covid and need actual care.”
After recording the 10th Covid fatality on Sunday, NT Health confirmed 90 per cent of NT Covid fatalities were Indigenous.
Commonwealth Indigenous Affairs Minister Ken Wyatt said the federal government was working across industries to “leverage support” for remote NT communities.
Mr Wyatt also said monitoring and evaluation of Closing the Gap would be a matter for the joint council.
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