A remote community in South Australia could miss out on a renal dialysis centre and $1.7 million in Federal funding without backing from the state government.
Residents in the remote community of Ernabella in the state’s North currently have to travel as far away as Port Augusta and Adelaide to receive treatment.
In July last year the Federal Government pledged $9 million to the non-profit Western Desert Dialysis to set up clinics in central Australia, including $1.7 million for a clinic in Ernabella, but so far the South Australian government has held off promising future funding.
CEO of Western Desert Dialysis Sarah Brown said they will be launching an Ernabella dialysis fund that would likely mean the government wouldn’t be required to starting funding for three years.
Ms Brown told a parliamentary committee in Adelaide that they faced a cost of $560 per dialysis treatment when someone from the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands was treated in Alice Springs, but the organisation would be charging $500 per treatment once the centre was established.
South Australian Health Minister Jack Snelling has previously said he would need to be confident of the clinic’s long term sustainability before committing to funding.
South Australia Country Health has been contacted for comment.
