Indigenous Health Report: Health Sciences Module, Semester 1

This report delves into the significance of Indigenous health, specifically examining the Aboriginal Medical Service (AMS) established in 1971. Initially a volunteer-based initiative, the AMS provided essential health services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, addressing their reliance on limited resources. The report highlights the AMS's evolution into a community-controlled health service, its expansion to urban centers, and its impact on health professionals, research, and the reduction of racism. The report emphasizes the positive outcomes, including increased access to specialists and improved overall wellness within the Indigenous community, and the report references the Australian Bureau of Statistics and the AIHW for data and information.

Running head: INDIGENOUS HEALTH FOR HEALTH SCIENCES
1
Institution
Lecturer
Name
Date

INDIGENOUS HEALTH FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2
INDIGENOUS HEALTH FOR HEALTH SCIENCES
The Aboriginal Medical Service (AMS) Redfern was founded 1971 by Aboriginal and Torres
Strait, activists in the Islander community. It had started as volunteer service on the Streets of
Regent. Indigenous doctors, nurses, and medical students were the first staff of the service. It
was majorly founded to provide health services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families
who initially relied on the goodwill of local general practitioners or emergency departments. It
became the first community controlled health service and has since then helped them to no
longer feel discriminated.
Within its first year of operation, there was high demand, and thus it was overstretched making
it necessary for the federal government to fund it (ABS 2006). As a result, there was massive
growth of the service, and it became a leading health service that provides a range of services
such as dental, public health and community service. It is no longer in remote areas but also in
urban centers and has over 150 Aboriginal community controlled services (Vos & Barker
2003).
Since its formation, it has had drastic effects in the health sector. Firstly, health professionals
training, and this has aided in the right of providing accessible and quality health to the people.
Graduates from the service are across the indigenous community. Secondly, there has been
increased creativity and research in the sector, and this is because of the award that was given by
WHO. There has also been reduced racism since the people can access the health services
equally. Also, specialists in different fields such as optometry, cardiology among others have
come up. There is total wellness of the people and thus productivity increase.

INDIGENOUS HEALTH FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 3
References
Australian Bureau of Stastics. (2006). Population Distribution: Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander people. Australia: Canberra.
Vos, T. &. (2003). The Islander people of disease and injury in Aboriginal and Torres Strait
people. Canberra: AIHW.