The Galiwin'ku Community Incorporated operates the Ngalkanbuy Health Centre.

The Ngalkanbuy Health Centre is managed by Cherryl Wirtanen. It continues to provide comprehensive primary health services to all residents of Elcho Island together with a range of public health and targeted program activities. In addition, the service provides a high quality twenty-four hour emergency after hours clinical care service.

The high involvement of locally trained Aboriginal Health Workers at Ngalkanbuy Health Centre is recognised and many Yolngu staff have achieved significant qualifications throughout the year.

Chronic Disease Management: The chronic diseases relating to cardiac, renal and respiratory systems remain problematic when compared with data from first world countries. The Ngalkanbuy Health Centre is fortunate to have visiting specialist services including a visiting physician to the clinic on a regular basis.

Some of the other activities the Ngalkanbuy Health Centre cover:

Well Womens' Program: as with other programs this is going from strength to strength with significant outcomes. The birth weight of Elcho babies continues to improve in tandem with the number of antenatal presentations ie. number of clinic visits throughout the course of pregnancy.

Mental Health: Ngalkanbuy Health is fortunate to receive Commonwealth funding via the Top End Division of General Practice for the continued delivery of a community based mental health program. Each client with an acknowledged health problem is case managed by this team. Two of the outstanding highlights of this program are the compliance with medication schedules for most clients and the fall in admissions of sick patients to the Royal Darwin Hospital - ie. patients admitted under the Mental Health Act.

Childrens' Program: this program is very busy, the major focuses within this clinic are well children and immunisation. An annual week of School Screening activity is conducted during each year.

Mens' Health: an active engaged program for men of all ages is delivered across the community of Galiwin'ku. The recruitment of male health workers in training or other men interested in working from Ngalkanbuy Health is problematic within this and other communities.

Research: Ngalkanbuy Health continues to be a centre for research excellence primarily with Menzies School of Health Research. Specifically, ongoing research into the Healthy Lifestyle behaviours continues, as does different approaches to the study of ear disease in Yolngu children. Without doubt, the effects of continuing ear disease in the young population has a profound effect on quality of life issues for example, hearing and learning capabilities.

Strong Women / Strong Babies / Strong Culture Program: Since its inception in 1994, where this program was trialled at Ngalkanbuy Health and two other health centres across the top-end, the Strong Women / Strong Babies / Strong Culture program has steadily grown in stature, importance and self-governance for the women of Galiwin'ku. Overseen by the Managers of Ngalkanbuy Health, the program is staffed by three women who work in partnership across the well women's and antenatal programs and the childrens' programs. In essence the role of the program staff is to raise awareness of health and lifestyle issues and to provide culturally appropriate women's health and child health services for post primary girls, pregnant women and mothers of infants and young children.

Ngalkanbuy Health Service is renowned across the Northern Territory for its proactive approach to healthy skin and health lifestyle issues. During the past year the Health Centre organised, funded and implemented a week of Healthy Lifestyle activities. This was an outstanding success for the community of Galiwin'ku. Additionally, the clinic staff organised and implemented two healthy skin days during a twelve month period. Interest in the Ngalkanbuy Health flipchart publications - Healthy Skin, Healthy Lifestyle and Healthy Blood is strong with demand for and sales of the publications coming from both within the Territory and other states of Australia.

The Manager of Ngalkanbuy Health are indebted to the commitment, enthusiasm and generosity of all staff at the Health Centre. The community of Galiwin'ku is indeed fortunate to have and retain staff of such calibre and professionalism.

Personnel: The clinic is staffed with 6 registered Aboriginal Health Workers, 5 Registered Nurses and various other associated ancilliary health staff.

• Cherryl Wirtanen - Registered Nurse/Registered Midwife/Manager
• Kellie-Anne Taylor - Registered Nurse/Registered Midwife
• Jenni Wyllie - Registered Nurse
• Cathy Woods - Registered Nurse
• Jan Bowman - GP
• Peter Bowman - GP
• Olivia O'Donaghue - GP Registrar
• Leanne Bundhala - Aboriginal Health Worker
• Rrapa Dhurrkay - Aboriginal Health Worker
• Rachel Garrawurra - Aboriginal Health Worker
• Sarah Bukulatjpi - Aboriginal Health Worker
• Karen Manala - Aboriginal Health Worker
• Stella Minitjapuyngu - Aboriginal Health Worker
• Aileen Yangay - Trainee AHW
• Leandra Natini - Trainee AHW
• Leti Dhamarrandji - Trainee AHW
• Deanna Djiraw - Trainee AHW
• Elaine Guymun - Strong Woman
• Rhonda-lee Hunt - Aminstrative Assistant
• Alison Ganambarr - Cleaner
• Samantha Gorey - Receptionist
• Aimon Riyan - Receptionist
• Danny Dangatanga - Men's Health
• Charlie Yebarra - Mental Health
• Joan Djamalaka - Mental Health

CDEP, through its Health and Community Support program supports the Ngalkanbuy Health Centre by way of 6-workers who provide office administration, cleaning and gardening support.