News

More medicos help Close the Gap

Thu, 17 Mar 2016 05:00:00

Six doctors are now working from the Mallee District Aboriginal Services’ (MDAS) Mildura and Swan Hill-Kerang clinics, in response to increasing community demand for Aboriginal health services.

Today is National Close the Gap day and MDAS says the rising demand for GP services is evidence local Koori communities are becoming more proactive in treating medical conditions and managing their overall health.
Two General Practitioners (GPs) and a Registrar are now practicing at the Mildura Health Service and the Swan Hill Kerang communities are serviced by a full-time and two part-time GPs.
MDAS Manager Health Services Ange Imms said this was the first time the local service had employed three doctors.
“We have seen a substantial increase in demand for health services over the past two years, so it is important to be able to respond to community needs by increasing the amount of doctors on staff,” she said.
“By providing these services and through the community actively accessing them, we are all working together to make progress toward Closing the Gap in a meaningful way.”
So far in 2014-15, the Mildura health service provided 18,524 consultations, up 12 percent on the 16,268 provided in 2013-14.  More than 8941 people have attended the Swan Hill clinic so far this financial year and for the same period in 2013-14 attendance was 6557 – a rise of 35 percent.  At Kerang, the growth is even stronger, with 1418 people attending so far this financial year, compared to 504 in 2013-14 – up 180 percent.
In another major step forward for MDAS, the organisation has recently become an accredited Aboriginal Health Training Post, which has allowed for the appointment of GP Registrar Dr Joshua Crase to the clinic.
A registrar is a fully qualified and registered doctor who is undertaking further training in specialty fields. Dr Crase will be completing further training in both General Practice and Aboriginal Health.
Dr Crase is working alongside Dr Eswari Byka who has provided GP services at MDAS Mildura for the past 12 months.  A third GP, Dr Aseel Marioud, has also recently joined working four days a week.
“It’s exciting for staff that people are voting with their feet by coming to MDAS for their day-to-day health needs, but also for services that help achieve a healthier future for our people,” Ms Imms said.