Parties targeted after World Health Day campaign

Health care gaps faced by rural women have been targeted by peak health bodies during their pre-election lobbying of all federal candidates as part of this year's World Health Day, held on Monday, 7 April. This year's theme 'Healthy beginnings - hopeful futures' focused on maternity services and postnatal health, with organisers saying it was the foundation of healthy families and rural communities. The National Rural Health Alliance (NRHA) has urged all political parties and candidates to commit to ending the 'significant' health gaps faced by rural women compared to their urban counterparts. One third of Australian women living outside major cities. NRHA CEO Susi Tegen said disparities were caused by geographic isolation, limited healthcare access, cost of service delivery, ongoing underfunding and support, and socioeconomic challenges. She said accessing maternity and reproductive health care had become a 'critical concern'. “Since the 1990s, there has been about a 50 per cent reduction in service delivery for maternity services in rural Australia," Ms Tegen said. "This results from rising private health and clinical insurance, lack of investment in infrastructure and support, and the workforce being overworked and under-supported. “Women in rural areas lack birthing services, as well as antenatal and postnatal care close to home. "They also find difficulties when their local rural hospital does not offer a maternity service and they have to travel great distances away from work, community and family." Ms Tegen said such reduction of services often led to reduced services in other parts of hospitals, making them less attractive for clinicians to work in. "(This is) exacerbating a cycle of workforce shortages and limitations on health care in the area,” she said. "When a town has a maternity service, the area is more attractive for young families and with a better care service on offer, people are more likely to stay or move to the area which is good for the thriving local economies and businesses." The NRHA consists of 53 national organisations committed to improving the health and wellbeing of the more than seven million people in rural and remote Australia. Members include health professional organisations, health service providers, health educators, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health sector, and students. Rural Doctors Association of Australia (RDAA) president Richard Lewandowski said it was a misconception that WHO campaigns were only aimed at populations less disadvantaged than Australia. "The reality is that accessing maternity services remains a challenge for many Australians in rural and remote communities,” Dr Lewandowsk said. “Over decades, successive governments have been asked to commit to providing appropriate maternity services in rural communities and to ensure the protection of rural maternity services already in place. “Despite this, accessing maternity services close to home remains a battle for many in the bush. Dr Lewandowski said families who recently suffered in western Queensland floods brought to light the need for access to quality health care closer to their homes. “Rural maternity has been a long-term priority for RDAA, and we have been a key driver behind current work to update to the National Rural Maternity Framework. “While rural communities across Australia continue to raise concerns about their local maternity unit being downgraded, bypassed or closed, we have seen no commitment from any party around rural health in the current federal election campaign." The Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) also joined the call for political recognition of the needs in regional and rural communities. ACRRM President Rod Martin said that despite 80,000 babies being born in regional and rural areas, there was still no clear plan to reverse the decline of rural maternity services. “This election is a critical moment," Dr Martin said. “We need all parties to commit to sustainable, high-quality maternity care for rural and First Nations communities—because no mother or baby should face greater risks simply because of where they live.” Ms Tegen said socioeconomic challenges in rural Australia had led to women having worse health outcomes with more of them likely to smoke during pregnancy, more babies being born prematurely, and lower rates of exclusive breastfeeding. She said rural and remote women are also more likely to experience domestic and family violence, and have higher rates of unplanned pregnancies, infant mortalities, and low birthweights and preterm babies. “We call for equitable and separate funding under a National Rural Health Strategy which demonstrates federal and state/territory healthcare collaboration and delivery, access to equitable funding and a commitment to separating rural health funding out of urban health funding. "A rural health fund allows for transparency, equity, and parity and cannot be reabsorbed into urban expenditure."

Parties targeted after World Health Day campaign

Four-star rating for Euroa Health

Alfalfa recall after salmonella outbreak

Asthma sufferers on thunder alert

Ambulance Victoria in stroke first

Regional doctor fellowships open but placement support ignored

Rufous Whistler – arrival of a summer songbird

Bombers go back-to-back in A grade

“No stone unturned” – Police committed to the long-haul in manhunt

Start your engines, Wilby Drags are back

Most popular stories