The Australian Indigenous Doctors’ Association (AIDA) are proud to be hosting the Pacific Region Indigenous Doctors’ Congress (PRIDoC 2024) and to welcome Indigenous doctors from across the Pacific to gather on Kaurna Country / Adelaide from 2 to 6 December.
The theme of PRIDoC 2024 is Ngadluku Warra, Ngadluku Tapa Purruna, Ngadluku Purruna which translates from Kaurna language as Our Language, Our Culture, Our Health.
The bi-annual Congress brings together Indigenous Doctors’ member organisations, including AIDA, ‘Ahahui o nā Kauka, Association of American Indian Physicians, Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada (IPAC), Medical Association for Indigenous People of Taiwan (MAIPT), and Te Ohu Rata O Aotearoa (Te ORA).
The PRIDoC 2024 Program features a keynote speaker from each nation, panel discussions and sessions exploring varied topics such as Language and Identity, Cultural Safety, Next Generation Healthcare, Mind and Body, and Climate-Conscious Healthcare. Delegates can also enjoy a Connection to Country Day, wellness sessions, and social events including a Banquet and a Cultural Sharing Night.
AIDA’s Vice-President and PRIDoC 2024 Committee Chair, Dr Jonathan Newchurch, shares that attending PRIDoC is about exchanging both medical and cultural knowledge.
“PRIDOC is unique in that it brings together Indigenous medics from around the Pacific ring to talk to each other about our unique struggles in living in a colonised world. As well as our shared history of that, our shared issues around our health, and how we are trying to navigate that system to improve the health of our people,” said Dr Newchurch.
“The biggest benefit of coming to PRIDoC for me is meeting people who have that shared lived experience in another country or territory, and hearing their stories, then reflecting on my medical journey of becoming a doctor. I find it reinvigorating my own culture and spirituality.”
PRIDoC started in 2002 with the purpose of gathering Indigenous physicians and medical students to network, discuss issues of mutual interest, share scientific advances and best practices as well as ancient wisdom and traditional knowledge to further the health and well-being of First Nations Communities.
AIDA looks forward to welcoming more than 600+ doctors, allies and media on Kaurna Country, so that together we can honour the spirit of Ngadluku Warra, Ngadluku Tapa Purruna, Ngadluku Purruna, as we strive towards a healthier future for all our Communities.
AIDA’s Vice-President and PRIDoC 2024 Committee Chair, Dr Jonathan Newchurch, will be available for interview at PRIDoC on Thursday 5 December between 1-5pm. Please contact AIDA Media Manager, Tania Sheward, via tania.sheward@aida.org.au to secure your interview slot or for more information.
ENDS
About AIDA
The Australian Indigenous Doctors’ Association (AIDA) is the peak professional body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander doctors and medical students. AIDA’s purpose is to strengthen the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander medical workforce, from students to specialists, through advocacy, leadership, and cultural mentorship. We also continue to work towards and advocate for a culturally safe Australian healthcare system, free from racism, and with accountability measures in place.
Our vision is that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have self-determination and equitable health and life outcomes in a culturally safe health system.