Celebrating World Health Day
Celebrating World Health Day at the Broken Hill University Department of Rural Health
During April, the Broken Hill University Department of Rural Health (BHUDRH) joined the global celebration of World Health Day. This year’s theme, ‘Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures’, perfectly encapsulates the work being done in the Far West to support rural and remote communities.
To mark the occasion, we spoke with our Head of School, Professor Deb Jones, about what this theme means to the BHUDRH, the communities we serve and rural health as global health.
“We need to ensure that our people have the best life trajectories they possibly can,” Deb shared.
“We have a critical role in addressing the health workforce crises across medicine, nursing and allied health.”
Deb reflected on the significant inequities children in our regions continue to face – particularly in accessing healthcare. She highlighted the urgent need for a strong, multidisciplinary approach to improving health outcomes and creating lasting change in rural areas.
“We know by investing in this approach we create futures where our children can be productive, engaged, independent and can have a voice to inform what their lives and their communities need and for their hopes to be met,” Deb said.
‘Healthy beginnings’ start with equal access to healthcare, and ‘hopeful futures’ depend on a sustainable, skilled health workforce in our communities. At BHUDRH, we’re proud to contribute to this vision by encouraging students to immerse themselves in the rural communities they serve. We also facilitate interprofessional learning opportunities to help students understand the importance of working holistically with other health disciplines – an essential approach in rural healthcare settings.
We thank Professor Deb Jones for her insight and leadership and extend our gratitude to all health professionals across our regions who are working every day to build brighter, healthier futures for all.
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