Report on a Danila Dilba Indigenous Health Service

Running head: REPORT ON A DANILA DILBA INDIGENOUS HEALTH SERVICE
Report on a Danila Dilba Indigenous health service (DDHS)
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REPORT ON A DANILA DILBA INDIGENOUS HEALTH SERVICE
Table of Contents
Introduction:....................................................................................................................................2
History and Background Information on Danila Dilba Indigenous health service:........................2
Vision and Objectives of Danila Dilba Indigenous health service:.................................................2
The health services provided by Danila Dilba Indigenous health service:......................................3
Membership of Danila Dilba Indigenous health service:................................................................3
Contacts and Locations of services:................................................................................................3
Comments and Personal reflections of the Danila Dilba Indigenous health service:......................4
Challenges:......................................................................................................................................4
Conclusion:......................................................................................................................................5
References:......................................................................................................................................6

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REPORT ON A DANILA DILBA INDIGENOUS HEALTH SERVICE
Introduction:
The health and wellbeing of the indigenous communities have been the concern for the
Australian health government for a long time now. The health inequality and discrimination
among the different indigenous individuals has contributed to the reduced life expectancy and
low health outcomes of the aboriginal communities. This assignment will focus on the Danila
Dilba health service (DDHS) which is an aboriginal community controlled organization and the
progress of this Indigenous Health Service to improve the health and well-being of the aboriginal
communities (Weightman, 2013). The assignment will begin with history and background
information of the service followed by vision and objectives the detail information of the health
services provided by the organization membership contract and locations of the services critical
review of the impact that the service has had on the aboriginal communities of Australia and
issues and challenges faced by the Indigenous Health Service in Australia.
History and Background Information on Danila Dilba Indigenous health service:
Danila Dilba is an Indigenous Health Service that began as a community controlled
aboriginal health Program back in the year of 1970. The late 1900s has been remarkable for the
extent of activism targeted at improvement of living conditions and socioeconomic status of
indigenous people living in Australian territory. Respect to the aftermath of cyclone Tracy in
1974, this aboriginal Medical Services was developed as an in house service for the aboriginals
that were evacuated to the southern cities for the cyclone. This later grew into the Danila Dilba
service out of the community with the help of people holding meetings, lobbying in government,
and lodging petitions for the indigenous people living in Darwin. First establishment of the
Danilla dilba clinic was in 1991, and the service was named by the local larrakia traditional
custodians: the name represents “aboriginal people getting better from sickness”. In 1991, during
the first establishment of the clinic, it had 7 staff members and one building. However, this
iconic indigenous health service has grown into 5 clinics including different clinics for men and
women, mobile and dental clinics, and different community programs in 2016 to 17
(Ddhs.org.au., 2018).
Vision and Objectives of Danila Dilba Indigenous health service:
Danila Dilba health services was developed as an aboriginal community controlled
organization that provide culturally appropriate comprehensive primary health care along with
community services to the biluru people that are aboriginal and Torres strait islander living in the
Yilli Rreung (Darwin) region of the Northern territory. The vision of this organization is to
create a society where the health, well-being, and the living quality of an aboriginal or Torres
strait islander is equal to that of any other non indigenous Australians belonging to the
mainstream society (Maple-Brown et al., 2013). The mission of this organization is to improve
the overall health of the biluru community including the combination of physical, mental,
spiritual, cultural, and social well being by the means of comprehensive primary health care
programs, different community services and advocating their health care needs based on the
values of equality, access, empowerment, and collaboration (Ddhs.org.au., 2018).