A further $12.4 million has been funded to combat the syphilis outbreak in the Northern Territory as well as central and southern Australia.
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Federal Government funding will extend and sustain instant testing and treatment in Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander communities.
The Point Of Care Test and Treat model has already been rolled out to Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services in Katherine as well as Townsville, Cairns, Darwin, East Arnhem Land and the Kimberley.
So far, more than 4000 people have been tested, with the immediate diagnosis and treatment promising a critical breakthrough in curbing the spread of the disease.
The funding boost will mean more Test and Treat services can be deployed in communities across the Northern Territory, Western Australia (West Kimberley and Pilbara) and South Australia.
Since the commencement of the syphilis outbreak in 2011, there have been approximately 2,400 cases of infectious syphilis and 15 congenital syphilis cases in northern and central Australia.
The Government has now committed $21.2 million to saving first Australians from syphilis, until June 2021.
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