PM'S wife visits Aboriginal Medial Centre in Cairns

By Minelle Creed
August 6, 2009

The Australian Prime Minister's wife, Therese Rein, and delegates from the Pacific Island Forum, today visited Wu Chopperen Aboriginal Medical Centre in Cairns.


The visit was to talk to Wu Chopperen staff about the AustralianNurse-Family Partnership Program (ANFPP) which aims to improve the long term health, social and economic future of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, by assisting first time pregnant mothers and their families.

Talking about the ANFP Program, Mrs Rein said, ' the survival rate for Indigneous women particularly in remote communities is much less, and the partnership is an attempt to raise the survival rate of women, particularly Indigenous women giving birth in remote communities.

Mrs Rein also compared the situation in Australia with the Pacific Islanders, saying ' people who live on tiny little islands with no transport, what kindof care is best, do you take them out of the communities to give birth, or do you send a birthing attendant in. These are tricky questions for all our countries'.

Mrs Rein's visit to the Medical Centre coincided with the Pacific Islands Forum in Cairns for which the Prime Minister is the new Forum Chair.