Published Monday, 21 July, 2008 at 07:09 AM
Premier
The Honourable Anna Bligh
Hundreds of Indigenous children health checked in Welfare Reform Trial communities
Nearly 500 Indigenous children will have undergone health checks by the end of this month in Aurukun, Hope Vale, Mossman Gorge and Coen.
Nurses and other Queensland Health staff have completed checks on 385 children with just 83 children in Aurukun yet to be seen.
The new program, delivered as part of the Welfare Reform Trial, targeted 455 children aged 5 – 12 years of age. A strong response in the communities has seen that number grow to a total of 468 children who qualify to be tested.
All children under the program are checked and those needing further assessment or medical care receive dental care, hearing tests and in some cases paediatric or nutritional review.
“Getting enough to eat, good hearing, sight and dental care are all a vital part of children’s development,” Premier Anna Bligh said.
“The parents of Aurukun, Coen, Hope Vale, Mossman Gorge have worked closely with Queensland Health staff and GP’s to have their children’s health checked.
“Aurukun has a much larger community and I understand that already 228 children from a possible 250 have been signed up for these vital checks.
“In fact the program has been so successful that we have exceeded the expected numbers of children by 13. These checks will be conducted annually for the children in all four communities.
“Already the checks have revealed that hearing problems remain a major issue for children in the trial communities.
“For instance 167 children have been screened in Aurukun since the trial began in March and 147 of them have required additional hearing screening.
The Premier also announced today that Government will look at a proposal for new mothers in Indigenous communities to receive baby hygiene products, formula, and development toys and books as incentives to bring their children to clinics for health check ups throughout their first five years of life.
“We have agreed to this in principle and I am hopeful it will be operational by the year’s end,” said Ms Bligh.
“The incentives program was suggested by Dr Lara Weiland and Dr Richard Heazlewood as one practical step in improving the health welfare of Indigenous children.
“While we have to wait for the full results of this first year of Child Health checks it is already clear that there is a real need for on-going treatments including ear, nose and throat problems and in some cases dental.
“The Queensland Health staff and other specialists involved in this program have worked very hard to ensure that all children living in the communities are able to benefit from the checks, in some communities they have been going door-to-door to ensure the children are checked.
“In Aurukun for example Child Health nurses and other Queensland Health staff have been conducting intensive home visits to gain parent’s consent and to conduct the necessary tests.
“I am optimistic that their hard work will be rewarded with a marked improvement in the children’s health over the length of the trial.
“Earlier this week the Minister for Health, Stephen Robertson announced that we will spend an extra $4.4 million over three years on the ‘Deadly Ears’ program to double the number of Indigenous children screened for Chronic Otitis Media or ‘glue ear’ disease.
As the Minister said, glue ear can be devastating to children’s development and it is a matter of great concern that around 75 per cent of children screened in Indigenous communities, some as young as 6 months old, have varying degrees of the illness.
“We will also be working with the Commonwealth government to deliver additional dental and other health services in each of these communities.
“The effectiveness of the trial will be assessed and if it is improving children’s health it will be rolled out across all Indigenous communities.
“In the meantime we will continue to improve the health services available to Indigenous children right across Queensland as part of our work to improve the health of every Queenslander.
Premier’s Office – 3224 4500
Nurses and other Queensland Health staff have completed checks on 385 children with just 83 children in Aurukun yet to be seen.
The new program, delivered as part of the Welfare Reform Trial, targeted 455 children aged 5 – 12 years of age. A strong response in the communities has seen that number grow to a total of 468 children who qualify to be tested.
All children under the program are checked and those needing further assessment or medical care receive dental care, hearing tests and in some cases paediatric or nutritional review.
“Getting enough to eat, good hearing, sight and dental care are all a vital part of children’s development,” Premier Anna Bligh said.
“The parents of Aurukun, Coen, Hope Vale, Mossman Gorge have worked closely with Queensland Health staff and GP’s to have their children’s health checked.
“Aurukun has a much larger community and I understand that already 228 children from a possible 250 have been signed up for these vital checks.
“In fact the program has been so successful that we have exceeded the expected numbers of children by 13. These checks will be conducted annually for the children in all four communities.
“Already the checks have revealed that hearing problems remain a major issue for children in the trial communities.
“For instance 167 children have been screened in Aurukun since the trial began in March and 147 of them have required additional hearing screening.
The Premier also announced today that Government will look at a proposal for new mothers in Indigenous communities to receive baby hygiene products, formula, and development toys and books as incentives to bring their children to clinics for health check ups throughout their first five years of life.
“We have agreed to this in principle and I am hopeful it will be operational by the year’s end,” said Ms Bligh.
“The incentives program was suggested by Dr Lara Weiland and Dr Richard Heazlewood as one practical step in improving the health welfare of Indigenous children.
“While we have to wait for the full results of this first year of Child Health checks it is already clear that there is a real need for on-going treatments including ear, nose and throat problems and in some cases dental.
“The Queensland Health staff and other specialists involved in this program have worked very hard to ensure that all children living in the communities are able to benefit from the checks, in some communities they have been going door-to-door to ensure the children are checked.
“In Aurukun for example Child Health nurses and other Queensland Health staff have been conducting intensive home visits to gain parent’s consent and to conduct the necessary tests.
“I am optimistic that their hard work will be rewarded with a marked improvement in the children’s health over the length of the trial.
“Earlier this week the Minister for Health, Stephen Robertson announced that we will spend an extra $4.4 million over three years on the ‘Deadly Ears’ program to double the number of Indigenous children screened for Chronic Otitis Media or ‘glue ear’ disease.
As the Minister said, glue ear can be devastating to children’s development and it is a matter of great concern that around 75 per cent of children screened in Indigenous communities, some as young as 6 months old, have varying degrees of the illness.
“We will also be working with the Commonwealth government to deliver additional dental and other health services in each of these communities.
“The effectiveness of the trial will be assessed and if it is improving children’s health it will be rolled out across all Indigenous communities.
“In the meantime we will continue to improve the health services available to Indigenous children right across Queensland as part of our work to improve the health of every Queenslander.
Premier’s Office – 3224 4500