Coronavirus: Telehealth takes giant leap in outback

Telehealth services in remote indigenous communities have taken an enormous leap during the coronavirus outbreak.

Telehealth services in remote indigenous communities have taken an enormous leap during the corona­virus outbreak and could deliver permanent improvements in the delivery of health services to far-flung corners of the country.

Indigenous health groups say their early response to the virus, their ability to make their own decisions, and financial and technical support from several resources companies helped avoid the spread of the virus into vulnerable communities.

Mining giant BHP has now pumped $4m into indigenous health councils and medical ser­vices across the country as part of its COVID-19 response.

Indigenous Australians are considered particularly vulnerable to coronavirus and there are deep concerns about what would happen if the virus found its way into remote communities.

There have been no cases recorded in those communities to date, with strict isolation measures introduced early in the crisis proving central to that success.

Vicki O’Donnell, the chief executive of the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Services in northern Western Australia, said the advances in the rollout of telehealth across remote communities had been “absolutely enormous”.

“If you’d asked me the question four months ago, my answer would have been that we’ve got a long way to go,” she said.

“But our people in WA took up the telehealth so well that it certainly won’t ever be going away. It’s the new way. It means our ­people don’t have to travel to Perth for a lot of their appointments, it means they’re not away from home for a week.”

Much of the technology and funding needed for the telehealth rollout came from the resources sector. As well as funding, miners such as BHP also provided temporary accommodation to allow for the isolation of anyone showing symptoms of the virus in or around remote communities.

Pat Turner, chief executive of the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation, said funding from the resources industry had been important. “They’ve been able to provide technology and IT support that our services themselves didn’t have enough money to buy. That was a godsend,” she said.

NACCHO started taking steps to prepare for the outbreak back in January, Ms Turner said, and communities had started taking steps to isolate well before the virus was declared to be a pandemic. 

“It’s a clear demonstration of the strength of Abroigianl and Torres Strait Islander community leadership across the country and enabling us to deal with matters that greatly impact us,” she said. 

“We’ve got to be allowed to continue this”

BHP chief external affairs officer Geoff Healy told The Australian that NACCHO’s “incredible” network had helped protect vulnerable communities from the virus.

“The indigenous community has moved quickly in a way that has saved so many lives,” he said.

“When you look at the conditions, the health risks, and the way in which the communities are so close, that is a remarkable performance from these indigenous medical services.”