PLANNING FOR LOCALLY PROVIDED HAEMODIALYSIS CARE IN BADU ISLAND IN THE TORRES STRAIT: KIKIRRUI DAN WALMAI PROJECT
Prof. Jaqui Hughes1, Ms CANDICE LIDDY-STOKES1, Ms KATIE CUNDALE1, Assoc Prof KARLA J CANUTO1
1College Of Medicine And Public Health, Flinders University (nt)), , Australia
Background: Diabetes is a very common cause of morbidity in the Torres Strait, and Tribal leaders previously endorsed the Torres Strait Health Strategy in the 1990’s, which identified infrastructure (building, staffing and care models) will be crucial for locally-provided care for adults living with diabetes-related kidney failure.
Aim: To describe the community-defined infrastructure for safe and quality haemodialysis care in Badu island of near west Torres Strait, an isolated Australian island.
Methods: Badu Island Tribal elders prioritised locally-available haemodialysis as key health infrastructure. They then sought to establish a culturally-knowledgeable Torres Strait Islander team to engage community members in Badu, Mabuiag and Moa islands and living in Cairns. The research and its conduct was approval by Maluilgal Tribal Governance, and supported by NHMRC Fellowship Grant: ‘Yes We Will’ – Implementing Indigenous-led Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander kidney health in Northern and Central (1174758).
Results: The team met with communities in the Torres Strait in October 2023 and in Cairns in December. At each meeting the attendees supported the pursuit of a dialysis unit on Badu Island. The need to also pursue funding to support community-led restorative health initiatives was also discussed. A report consolidating those engagement visits was relied upon to make a Commonwealth Government Grant, approximating $3.5million to support a new build of 4-chair haemodialysis unit.
Conclusion: Tribal governance was the persisting attribute in bringing together a report, that summarised a health plan for locally-delivered haemodialysis. The zageth will continue with the award of funds to commence building, and parallel zageth to identify a clinical training pathway for Torres Strait Islander clinicians to provide dialysis care and related health care.
Biography:
Prof Jaquelyne Hughes is a Torres Strait Islander woman, a senior staff specialist (nephrology), at Royal Darwin Hospital, on Larrakia Country, and Clinical Research Professor Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Advancement, Flinders University (Darwin, NT). Hughes co-leads a clinical model of care encompassing remote-island kidney health optimisation, and transition support after dialysis initiation. Hughes leads a clinical research program at Flinders University including describing long-term kidney health (the eGFR3 Study), sustainable access to kidney transplantation (NIKTT), and enabling health-provider assisted on-country haemodialysis.