Australian Government provides funding for life-saving medical equipment for kids in rural areas
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Children in rural and remote areas will have better access to life-saving medical equipment under new funding provided by the Morrison Joyce Government.
The Government is providing $100,000 to the Humpty Dumpty Foundation in 2021-22 to support its work to improve the care of children in rural and remote Australia by providing medical equipment to hospitals and health services.
Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt, said the funding will help save and improve children’s lives.
“The health and wellbeing of children and young people is a priority for the Government,” Minister Hunt said.
“This funding will positively impact the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous children in rural and remote areas of Australia by increasing their access to fit-for-purpose paediatric medical equipment.”
“This investment will help meet community need, including screening for iron deficiency in children by Aboriginal Community-Controlled Health Services, echo devices to screen for rheumatic heart disease, or specialist neonatal, paediatric, and adolescent education in health services and hospitals, in partnership with state and territory governments.”
Minister for Regional Health, Dr David Gillespie, said the Coalition was committed to addressing the rising burden of chronic disease and to improving public health, no matter where people live or their circumstances.
“The Humpty Dumpty Foundation is a children’s charity celebrating more than 30 years of helping to save and improve the lives of sick and injured children in hospital,” Dr Gillespie said.
“Its mission is to raise funds to provide essential and often life-saving medical equipment for hospitals in every corner of Australia, and I’m proud to be part of a government supporting them in this endeavour.”
To date, Humpty Dumpty has provided medical equipment to paediatric wards, neonatal units, maternity and emergency departments at more than 440 hospitals and health services across Australia.
Humpty Dumpty Foundation Founder and Chairman, Paul Francis OAM said, “This is wonderful recognition by the Morrison Joyce Government of the Humpty Dumpty Foundation’s paediatric work in both rural and remote parts of Australia.
“We greatly appreciate this support and welcome the positive impact it will have on the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous children.
“This is truly an example of us working together with the Government and community to make sure that, no matter where you live, you have the opportunity for the best possible health outcomes.
The Government recognises certain groups of children and young people are especially prone to health inequity as a result of social, geographical and other determinants of health.
To address this, the Government has launched the first National Action Plan for the Health of Children and Young People: 2020–2030, to provide a roadmap to improve the health and wellbeing of all young Australians.
The vision is to ensure that Australian children and young people, from all backgrounds and all walks of life, have the same opportunities to fulfil their potential, and are healthy, safe and thriving.
Lourdes Antenor is an experienced writer who specialises in the not-for-profit sector and its affiliations. She is the content producer for Third Sector News, an online knowledge-based platform for and about the Australian NFP sector.
