Three new renal dialysis units to open in Queensland and Western Australia

The government will establish new units at Tom Price, Wiluna, and Badu Island.

The Australian government has announced the addition of three new renal dialysis units in remote regions of Queensland and Western Australia, fulfilling a key election promise to improve access to essential renal dialysis services.

The initiative is part of a broader $73.2m investment in Better Renal Services for First Nations Peoples, aimed at providing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians with severe kidney disease better access to lifesaving treatment closer to home. 

The $10.35m allocated in this second round of funding will establish new units at Badu Island in Queensland, in partnership with Wakaid Tribal Council and Flinders University; Tom Price in Western Australia, through the Pilbara Aboriginal Health Alliance; and Wiluna in Western Australia, supported by Ngangganawili Aboriginal Health Services.

The government noted that indigenous Australian adults are twice as likely to suffer from chronic kidney disease and nearly four times as likely to die from it compared to non-Indigenous Australians, making dialysis an essential and life-saving treatment. By providing dialysis services closer to patients' homes, the government aims to improve treatment adherence, support, and overall health outcomes. 

The first round of this initiative, announced in April 2023, led to the installation of new units at six sites, including Coober Pedy and Yalata in South Australia, Balgo in Western Australia, and Atitjere, Borroloola, and Ti-Tree in the Northern Territory.

The government’s investment will fund up to 30 dialysis units, including workforce accommodation.

“These new dialysis units in remote Queensland and Western Australia will dramatically reduce travel times for patients, ensuring they receive essential care while staying close to their families and communities,” said Assistant Minister Malarndirri McCarthy.

“These additions will profoundly impact the lives of dialysis patients and their families in Tom Price, Wiluna, and Badu Island,” he noted.