A First Nation’s health service in Broken Hill will soon begin a program of helping Indigenous families who have children with high blood lead levels.
Figures from the National Health and Medical Research Council show more than three quarters of Indigenous kids in the town have blood lead levels above national guidelines.
Regional health service Maari Ma will begin auditing homes that are highly affected by lead contamination and will work with families on how to counter the problems.
Audits will be undertaken before children are born and up to the age of five by two Indigenous staff who have been hired for the program.
Maari Mar’s director of corporate services Kathy Dyer says while they’ve known about the high statistics for years, they haven’t been able to do anything about it until now.
The program is being funded through the State Government Environmental Lead Program.
