Australians enjoy long lives and have access to one of the world’s better health systems. Aboriginal Australians are the exception to this generalisation, especially if they live in a remote community. Many Aboriginal communities have unusually high instances of chronic lifestyle diseases and, of these, diabetes is particularly common – in some communities it is 15 times more prevalent than the national average. Worse, the disease is increasing among Aboriginal children and adolescents.

The Unity of First People of Australia (UFPA) has established a diabetes management and care programme at a number of remote communities in Western Australia ’s Kimberley region. The programme involves a partnership between the UFPA and an Aboriginal community. An important part of the programme is working with Aboriginal community members at the beginning of the programme, so that they understood that the UFPA programme involves major changes to lifestyles and eating habits and the need for community members to assume ownership of their health and the programme’s sustainability. These changes are encouraged by UFPA carers, both Aboriginal and non Aboriginal, who respect the social and cultural realities of Aboriginal community life.

The UFPA programme has achieved positive changes in knowledge, attitude and behaviour relating to food, nutrition, exercise and disease. There have also been improvements in weight control and pathology test results reducing the risk of subsequently developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease. These achievements have attracted international interest as an innovative program for Indigenous people. Results have been published in international scientific journals and presentations have been made at major international paediatric congresses.

It is the acknowledgement of the importance of Aboriginal culture and tradition and the holistic preventative nature of the programme that distinguishes the UFPA from conventional public health programmes. The RTAF has been a key supporter of the UFPA’s community based approach since it was first introduced to the Noonkanbah community in 2002.