Royal Flying Doctor Service sending nurses, jabs to NT remote communities

One of Australia’s most critical organisations has lept into action, helping boost the Northern Territory’s vaccine rollout in some of the most remote communities on Earth.

THERE’S help from above in the race to vaccinate remote communities, with the Royal Flying Doctor Service sending nurses and supplies to far-flung parts of the Northern Territory to get jabs in arms.

The NT News was flown out to the remote Top End community of Ngukurr on Friday, where nurses for the RFDS had been busy all week vaccinating those in the local Aboriginal population.

But even in some of the most remote communities, like Ngukurr, health authorities are battling social media disinformation.

Local elders and healthcare workers are now holding sausage sizzles and information evenings in an effort to bring locals around to the idea of inoculation.

Sunrise Health's Michelle Farrell is given her first dose of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine by nurse Mandy Smallacombe. Picture: Thomas Morgan

Katherine’s recent lockdowns, as well as reports of Covid-19 ripping through Aboriginal communities in New South Wales, have also motivated people to get vaccinated in communities.

Among those who received their first jab was Indigenous woman, and Sunrise Health Service treasurer, Michelle Farrell. Ms Farrell, who has convinced many in her family to also get vaccinated, said the Katherine lockdown made her “scared for the community”. “Still, people are a bit scared, overthinking their reaction to the vaccine,” she said.

Sunrise Health acting chief executive Anthony Beven said his organisation was taking every opportunity possible to deliver vaccinations to everyone who wanted one.

Sunrise Health Service has been administering the Covid-19 Pfizer jab. Picture: Thomas Morgan

“We’ve worked with the local footy team who all went to training (on Thursday night) and then lined up to have their vaccinations, and we’re holding community barbecues to break down that hesitancy, break down that fear around receiving the vaccination,” Mr Beven said.

“Our goal is to deliver vaccine to anyone who wants it.”

RFDS central operations primary health care manager Mandy Smallacombe, who administered jabs for a week in Ngukurr, said her unit had recently been recruiting Top End nurses to join her team.

Ms Smallacombe, who hails from South Australia, said they had vaccinated around 300 people in their single trip to Ngukurr.

“The response from the members was great, everyone was really interested,” she said.

Royal Flying Doctor Service’s plane at Ngukurr Airstrip in the Northern Territory. Picture: Thomas Morgan