On 30 Aug 2023, Galangoor Duwalami Primary Health Care Service (GDPHCS) and Wide Bay Hospital Health Service (WB HHS) solidified their partnership by signing a Collaborative Agreement, aiming to enhance healthcare for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities on the Fraser Coast.
This agreement is a continuation and expansion of the initial Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2008, highlighting the commitment both organisations have towards health equity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Both GDPHCS and WB HHS, recognised as Fraser Coast’s primary service providers, have now reinforced their commitment to bridging health inequalities faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
By actively addressing systemic health disparities, the two entities aim to advance the national Closing the Gap targets and the Health Equity Strategy.
The signing was a significant event, attended by a diverse group of community partners, supporters, and esteemed guests, reflecting the profound importance and resonance of the agreement within the community.
Among those in attendance were friends from Happy Feet, Women’s Health, Elder Joe Eggmollesse, and special WBHHS guests such as Debbie Carroll, Robyn Bradley, and Karla Steer.
The ceremony saw Aunty Lenore Denduck, Company Secretary of Galangoor; Stevan Ober, Galangoor’s CEO; Karla Steer, a WB HHS Board Member; and Debbie Carroll, CE of WB HHS, come forward as the key signatories.
The foundation of the original Memorandum of Understanding was set by the late Coralie Ober, the then-Galangoor Chair, in association with the Fraser Coast Health Service District, now WB HHS, with a focus on maternal services.
Through this new agreement, both Galangoor and WB HHS are set on a path of enhanced collaboration in Indigenous healthcare.
The Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council (QAIHC) is a leadership and policy organisation. We were established in 1990 and are the peak organisation representing all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Health Organisations (ATSICCHO) in Queensland at both a state and national level.
The QAIHC Membership is comprised of ATSICCHOs located throughout Queensland. Nationally, we represent Queensland through its affiliation and Membership on the board of the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO).
Sector Leader Magazine is published by the Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council (QAIHC).
We welcome submissions from our Members, Associates and Affiliates on the great work being undertaken within the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Health Organisation Sector.
If you would like to contribute story ideas for consideration or comment on items in the current issue, please contact our Communications Team at communications@qaihc.com.au. Previous issues can be viewed online at qaihc.com.au
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are warned that this publication may contain images or names of people who have passed away.
