Rudd Government Tackles Indigenous Smoking Ratesand Health Workforce in next Down Payments on Closing the Gap
Source: Australia. Prime Minister, Minister for Health and Ageing and,the Minister for Indigenous Affairs. Joint Media Release
"The Rudd Government has announced two significant new policy initiatives at today’s (20/3/08) landmark Indigenous Health Equality Summit.
These are important steps in the Government’s commitment to closing the life expectancy gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people within a generation.
The Rudd Government will:
invest $14.5 million in tackling high rates of smoking in Indigenous communities – a leading cause of chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease which contribute to Indigenous people’s low life expectancy; and
invest $19 million in a National Indigenous Health Workforce Training Plan, to get more Indigenous people into the health workforce."