In a country as economically stable and diverse as Australia, everyone deserves the right to a healthy future and the opportunities that it provides.
Today we acknowledge National Close the Gap Day. This day is all about voices and choices for the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People. We as Australians are lucky to have easy and affordable access to health services particularly in the major cities. However, for many Indigenous Australians, access to this same level of healthcare which we often take for granted, can be difficult and/or unaffordable.
The “Close the Gap” campaign has become overwhelming with the support of the Australian public and Oxfam has done an amazing job of pushing this agenda for First Nations people.
National Close the Gap Day gives us the opportunity to support our First Nations people and send a clear message that Australians value health and equality as a fundamental right for all.
The Close the Gap target for life expectancy (by 2031) is currently not on track (Close the Gap Report 2019). The target is measured by estimates of life expectancy at birth, which are available every five years.
According to the latest Australian Bureau Statistics (ABS) estimate, Indigenous males born between 2015 and 2017 have a life expectancy of 71.6 years (8.6 years less than non-Indigenous males) and Indigenous females have a life expectancy of 75.6 years (7.8 years less than non-Indigenous females).
Circulatory disease, cancer, respiratory disease and diabetes have remained the leading causes of death in Indigenous Australians for decades, however whilst there has been a decrease in chronic diseases the incidence of cancer has increased from 18% to 22%.
Unfortunately, large gaps in well-being remain between Indigenous Australians and Non-Indigenous Australians. Join us to act today and sign the Close the Gap pledge Ask friends and colleagues to join you to express your support for fair health and well-being outcomes for all and deliver a positive message to all Australians.
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