On Close the Gap Day, March 20, 2025, we shed light on an organisation striving to close the gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal health and creating better outcomes for Indigenous communities.
Close the Gap Day has been recognised across Australia for nearly two decades, with businesses, schools, and community groups showing their support for the Close the Gap campaign on the third Thursday in March each year.
A key target of the campaign is to close the health and life expectancy gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians within a generation.
On average, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people pass away more than 10 years younger than non-Indigenous people.
Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation (PCHF) is one of the charitable organisations working to close the gap, targeting improved healthcare for Aboriginal children.
PCHF chief executive Carrick Robinson said Aboriginal children have poorer health than non-Aboriginal children, with areas of concern being chronic ear and respiratory issues, Type 2 diabetes, and negative consequences from repeated hospitalisations for preventable injuries and conditions.
“Aboriginal children are some of our most vulnerable and we’re committed to improving the health outcomes for this high-risk group of WA children,” Mr Robinson said.
Ricky Hill (left) with daughter Kiarri join Kyla and Kyle.
“Our support extends from unique hospital projects through to community-based care and programs to help Aboriginal children live their healthiest and happiest lives.”
Improving the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal children is a key aim of many innovative projects funded by PCHF.
Increasing immunisation rates
Many Aboriginal children are missing out on the protective benefits of immunisation due to a reluctance within Aboriginal families to cause pain and distress to their children.
To reduce fear and improve vaccination rates, which are lower in Aboriginal children, a device known as a Buzzy Bee has been introduced into community health clinics across metropolitan Perth.
The innovative PCHF-funded Buzzy Bee is a small, vibrating device designed to look like a bee, with icepacks in its wings. The device blocks sharp pain and distracts children during their immunisation.
"All children deserve to live long and healthy lives and PCHF is proud to support programs that are helping reduce health inequality and close the health gap in WA’s vulnerable Aboriginal children." PCHF CEO Carrick Robinson
Child and Adolescent Health Service and AHS Aboriginal Health clinical nurse Andrea Padley said the device was making immunisations more comfortable for children.
“Having innovative tools like Buzzy Bees that help reduce the pain of injections has been really helpful,” Ms Padley said.
“By placing it on the arm, between the injection site and the brain, it helps to block nerve signals, so the child hopefully doesn’t feel the needle as much.”
Gnaarla Karla Booja, Wilman, man Kyle said his daughter Kyla's recent immunisation with the assistance of a Buzzy Bee will not only help protect her but the Elders in his community too, many of whom are immunocompromised.
"Getting your jabs can be a traumatic experience. The Buzzy Bee is more of a soothing and approachable way of delivering the immunisations," Kyle said.
Transforming care
Undiagnosed diseases and cleft problems are prevalent in Aboriginal children across WA.
Perth Children’s Hospital's Clinical Centre of Expertise for Undiagnosed and Rare Diseases (Rare Care Centre) is set to expand into the Pilbara and North West region to support more children and families living with rare and undiagnosed diseases.
The Pilbara Hub will offer streamlined care and support to families, reduce stress, and boost overall health and wellbeing for thousands of vulnerable children and their families.
New accessible and culturally appropriate digital resources have been introduced to improve health outcomes and experiences for families navigating care for cleft lip, cleft lip and palate, or cleft palate only.
Aboriginal children are almost twice as likely to have a cleft problem than non-Aboriginal kids and face long-term speech, hearing, and dental health issues, requiring both early intervention surgery and ongoing care.
The PCHF-funded program is set to alleviate emotional, financial, and logistical burdens being faced by these families.
PCHF has additionally funded the creation of a new job position to assist non-Aboriginal researchers to engage and work better with Aboriginal children, young people, and families.
Research plays a critical role in advancing healthcare and the Aboriginal Health Research Facilitator is creating more culturally safe pathways and ensuring strong engagement with the Aboriginal community and Elders to identify research priorities and improve care.
“All children deserve to live long and healthy lives and PCHF is proud to support programs that are helping reduce health inequality and close the health gap in WA’s vulnerable Aboriginal children,” Mr Robinson said.
