The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) is celebrating NAIDOC Week 2016 with the launch today of a booklet profiling the inspiring stories of nine Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander general practitioners (GPs).
RACGP Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health was formally established in 2010 to help ‘close the gap’ in health inequality between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous Australians. Today there are 35 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander GPs who are Fellows of the RACGP and approximately 68 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander GPs who are working towards attaining RACGP Fellowship.
“Improving the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples is one of Australia’s highest health priorities and the RACGP is committed to raising awareness of their needs,” according to RACGP President, Dr Frank R Jones.
“The GPs profiled are working passionately to ‘close the gap’ and improve the health of Australia’s Indigenous communities.
“They are role models who have generously given us an insight into their daily lives and it has been a privilege to hear and share their stories,” Dr Jones said.
The GPs profiled in the booklet are Associate Professor Brad Murphy, a descendent of the Kamillaroi people of north-west New South Wales; Dr Anita Watts, a Wiradjuri woman who grew up in Western Sydney; Dr Danielle Arabena, a descendent of the Meriam Mer Clan groups of the Torres Strait Islands; Dr Janelle Trees, a descendent of the Thunghutti clan from Walcha in New South Wales; Dr Kali Hayward, a descendent of the Warnman people of Western Australia; Dr Olivia O’Donoghue, a descendent of the Yankunytjatjara and Narungga Nations people; Dr Samarra Toby, a Gangulu woman from Rockhampton; Dr Kim Issacs, descended from the Noongar, Karajarri and Yawuru peoples, and Associate Professor Shannon Springer, descended from Aboriginal and Australian South Sea Islander peoples.
