Australia allocates more fund to improve indigenous people's health

Australian government has announced 777 million Australian dollars (805 million U.S. dollars) to extend the funding for improving the health of indigenous people for three years, the Prime Minister's office said on Thursday.

The funding is part of a renewed National Partnership Agreement on Closing the Gap in Indigenous Health Outcomes for a further three years to 30 June 2016.

This funding will ensure indigenous Australians continue to benefit from improved health services and help to close the gap in indigenous disadvantage.

The government hopes that the health scheme will close the gap in life expectancy between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians within a generation, and halve the gap in mortality rates for indigenous children under five within a decade.

The Commonwealth government will ask the States and Territories to also continue their investment to renew the National Partnership Agreement.

Under the current National Partnership Agreement, due to expire on June 30, 2013, governments provided 1.58 billion Australian dollars (1.64 billion U.S. dollars) over four years to improve access to health services for indigenous families and communities.

This year's Closing the Gap report showed that local health services were helping to lead a comprehensive approach to chronic disease management, encouraging people to undergo health checks and follow-ups.

In 2011-12, 65,501 health assessments were provided to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 15 and over, a 34 percent increase from 2010-11.