Aeromedical services including the Northern Territory's CareFlight have received $52.8 million to boost remote evacuation capacity by 50 per cent.
While Australia's cities are succeeding in flattening the curve of coronavirus transmissions, acute concern remains for remote populations, particularly Indigenous communities in the NT and Western Australia.
Poor access to infrastructure and medical resources combined with existing health issues among Indigenous Australians has led authorities to close communities and facilitate the return of more than 2000 people to their homes from regional centres.
While the NT has succeeded thus far in preventing a community transmission, for the virus to enter Indigenous community's would "devastate our community," Minister for Indigenous Affairs Ken Wyatt has said.
CareFlight operates the only aeromedical support service in the NT.
"This is absolutely vital, an additional Medical Retrieval Consultant provides support to health professionals on the ground to provide higher levels of patient care if an outbreak occurs and we can carefully observe the situation and stay ahead of the curve," Dr Roe said.
"Without this additional commitment, the normal system would not cope with the increased demand and anticipated level of sickness. The extra services mean everyone gets access to world-class care even if things become extremely busy and challenging.
"Essentially, it means we can continue to save lives in the community."
CareFlight CEO Mick Frewen welcomed the funding and said without it they would not have been able to handle an outbreak.
"This funding allows us to increase our response capacity to this emergency and serve remote communities in the Northern Territory to deliver equity in healthcare to one of our most vulnerable populations," Mr Frewen said.
CareFlight will increase its fixed wing retrieval service with a King Air B200 aircraft added to its existing Northern Territory fleet.
The organisation will also extend the operating hours of its existing low-acuity aeromedical service and dedicate one of its Beechjet 400 aircraft for retrievals within the Territory.
CareFlight will also bolster its road transport services that currently operate between Palmerston Regional Hospital and Royal Darwin Hospital.
Two additional staffed patient transport vehicles will be available for transfers from communities accessible by road as well as supplementing the existing hospital transport service.
Federal Minister for Regional Health Mark Coulton announced the changes.
"COVID-19 is affecting every Australian no matter where they live, and we're putting in place measures that will support regional Australians to get through this pandemic," he said
"This package will boost the ability to provide medical evacuations for patients in remote and rural areas across Australia by up to 50 per cent," Mr Coulton said.
