While diabetes amongst Indigenous Australians appears to have been non-existent before colonisation, today diabetes has become the leading accelerator of mortality in Indigenous Australians. Dialysis (due to the complication of renal failure), is the most common reason for hospital admission of Indigenous people in Australia.

To address these problems, the Unity of First People of Australia, a not-for-profit Aboriginal-run organisation, commenced the Diabetes Management and Care Program in remote Aboriginal communities in Western Australia.

The Diabetes Management and Care program aims to arrest the rising incidence of diabetes in indigenous communities by working with the community to develop a community-owned and managed sustainable Community Health Plan.

The basis of the plan is the prevention, management, treatment and care of diabetes and promotes a whole change of lifestyle behaviours.

Each project is undertaken at the invitation of the Community Council and requires the support of a range of people within the community such as the local council, local school, women’s groups, community store, as well as local community carers specifically trained to ensure that family members continue with the relevant aspects of the Plan. By training diabetes educators and encouraging strong support for changes to a healthier and fitter lifestyle, the Diabetes Management and Care program ensures that Indigenous Australians take responsibility for their own health and well being.

The Diabetes Program in the remote Kimberley communities is already showing strong signs of becoming sustainable with noticeable impacts on the communities supported by the program. The model of working with, educating and encouraging the Indigenous communities’ ownership and management of the Diabetes Program will assist in working towards the program’s sustainability in the long-term.

Source: UFPA and Caritas Australia http://www.caritas.org.au