Three outstanding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island researchers have been awarded a total of $7.4 million for projects dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people.
These funds comprise part of $15.6 million in NHMRC Investigator Grants awarded to Flinders University, marking a record figure in the scheme received by the university.
The three projects have a strong focus on working alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander to deliver community-led health initiatives that improve health and wellbeing to communities in Darwin, Northern Australia and beyond.
Professor Jaquelyne Hughes, a Torres Strait Islander woman (Wagadagam) who is the Clinical Research Professor for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Advancement based in Darwin, has been awarded $2,954,575 for her project 'And We Are: Determined as Indigenous Leaders to advance First Nation kidney health'.
The research will promote and implement health improvements delivered by First Nations leadership, for Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal people, families and communities living with kidney diseases.
"Rates of kidney failure requiring dialysis or transplantation among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians have risen progressively over the past 40 years, remaining consistently higher than rates for non-Indigenous Australians," says Professor Hughes.
"The 'And We Are' project recognises our role as leaders in choosing to be solution-enablers. It will ensure that we can sustain and extend health improvements that were initially developed as pilot programs or conceptual models.
"Throughout this project we will uphold Indigenous self-determination, Indigenous sovereignty, human rights and respect."
Associate Professor Karla Canuto, a Torres Strait Islander and descendent of the Naghir Tribe of the Kulkalgal Clan, has been awarded $2,818,905 for the project - 'Community-led Health Promotion in the Torres Strait'.
As a researcher and recognised national leader in Indigenous health promotion, her project will reduce chronic disease risk factors through community-led evidence-based health restoration initiatives in extremely remote and under-resourced communities.
"Throughout isolated communities in the Torres Strait (Zenadh), the rates of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and chronic renal failure are skyrocketing, and health restoration is an urgent priority for Maluilgal (the tribal people of the Maluilgau region - Badu, Mabuiag and Moa Islands)," says Associate Professor Canuto.
"The sustainable community-led initiatives we implement will help restore wellbeing."
Associate Professor Kalinda Griffiths, a Yawuru woman and epidemiologist with a focus on data availability, health measurement and Indigenous data governance, has been awarded $1,634,700 for her project 'Strengthening Transparent Reporting and Improving Visibility and Equity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health'.
This program aims to improve the quality, usability and governance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health data in Australia to address health inequities. It will focus on data quality, data governance, workforce development and Indigenous health measurement.
"The Aboriginal-led program will address the challenges that continue to exist in identifying and addressing gaps in the quality and usability of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health data in Australia," says Associate Professor Griffiths, who is also Director of Poche SA & NT in Darwin.
"This will ultimately enhance the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people."
Flinders University's Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), Professor Raymond Chan, says these high-performing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander researchers are passionate about tackling health challenges within their communities.
"The funding for these projects demonstrates Flinders' leadership in health and medicine, and our commitment to driving positive change in the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples," says Professor Chan.
"We're thrilled our researchers are recognised for their work improving health outcomes for their communities and congratulate them on their funding success."
