Watched the ABC's, Four Corners program, 'Heart Failure'. The program exposed a shocking indifference and failure in public health in remote Aboriginal communities. The program highlighted the plight of Aboriginal children in the community of Doomadgee Qld, where children are dying from the preventable illness Rheumatic Heart Disease, something that was once common in White Australia, but has been almost eliminated over the past 60 years. Rheumatic Fever leading to heart disease is actually increasing in children living in RAC's, where today it is at the highest level in the World. This is a national disgrace!

40% of the population of Doomadgee are children under 14.

Paul,

You don't think that aboriginal people have some responsibility for their own health, just like the rest of us? Is it really a "national disgrace" or is it Doomadgee disgrace? Aboriginal children in urban areas, where most of them live, have access to the same healthcare available to all who don't live in totally impractical remote settlements where high stand health care will never be affordable.

The "shocking indifference" could lie with the parents of these children, could it not?

Hi Paul,

Thanks for raising this issue.

I did not see the Four Corners report however the facts
speak for themselves that multiple young women have
died in the last 3 years in the predominantly Indigenous
town of Doomadgee from a disease that has been widely
eradicated in the world. These women were turned away from
their local hospital and not taken seriously. Dreadful
treatment that should not have happened.

There's more at:

http://junkee.com/doomadgee-indigenous-hospital/323802

Indigenous get better health services than anyone I know of who relies on Public Health.

So all this is about three (3) ptients, I thoughtm that it was much more going by the headlines.

"Junkee" is an unfortunate name for a website presumably expecting to be taken seriously. It is also not not a good look to see the notorious Louise Milligan involved. After the Cardinal Pell affair, she is not a person to be taken seriously.

In the case of Paul's under 14 children, I would ask what the is wrong with the parents, and why hasn't Child Welfare, or whatever it is called these days, been involved.

In the case of the 3 women, why hasn't a full investigation been launched with a possibility of criminal charges being laid? I suppose it is possible that 'wolf' has been called too many times on aboriginal matters and, well, the ABC and Ms. Milligan have earned themselves a certain reputation.