Tharawal Aboriginal Medical Service (AMS) in Campbelltown has been doing some incredible work in ensuring our Indigenous people and the wider community are vaccinated against COVID-19.
Tharawal AMS joined general practices across South Western Sydney in March to be among the first GP services to vaccinate when the rollout began through primary care.
Tharawal Aboriginal Corporation Chief Executive Officer, Darryl Wright, was also among the first to roll up his sleeve for the jab.
At the time, Mr Wright told South Western Sydney PHN the service had 80 Elders aged 55 and over booked for vaccinations within 10 minutes of opening bookings.
“It’s about keeping healthy – we want to ensure our Elders and those with chronic disease in particular, don’t get the coronavirus,” he said.
Since March, Tharawal AMS has continued to educate local Aboriginal people about the benefits of vaccination and has held a number of vaccination clinics to ensure as many people as possible – including young people – are vaccinated.
This included a drive aimed at 12 to 18-year-olds which saw around 160 Aboriginal teenagers vaccinated, once the opportunity was opened to First Nations people aged 12 and over in August.
Mr Wright told SBS on 20 August now that Indigenous young people were eligible for vaccination, they had showed up with their parents and grandparents.
“Even now, with the young ones between 12 and 18, we advertised and within an hour we had 90 (vaccine) bookings, so that’s a good sign,” he told SBS.
Now Tharawal AMS’s vaccination service has gone mobile, taking to the road to vaccinate vulnerable communities regardless of background.
SWSPHN’s COVID-19 Response Team is helping facilitate the vaccinations, providing Tharawal AMS with the names of vulnerable individuals in Campbelltown and Camden who face barriers to accessing the vaccine.
Dr Tim Senior, Dr Allison Thorn and nurse Paige Leech (pictured right) visited Mount Gilead retirement village on Thursday, 2 September to vaccinate 10 residents.
During the past week, staff have also administered vaccines to 12 teenagers in a group home, a 16-year-old boy living with disability and a bed-bound elderly man in Campbelltown.
“We’ll go out with the van and do anyone walking around the street in Campbelltown, because we want everyone to be vaccinated, because they’re living in the community.”
- General practices across South Western Sydney are working to support vulnerable people who are struggling to access the COVID-19 vaccine by administering vaccinations in homes and work places. If you are aware of someone in the community who is immobile or living with disability, and wants to be vaccinated, please email SWSPHN’s COVID-19 Response Team at covid19@swsphn.com.au to be connected to a local general practice providing vaccine in-reach services.
