Great to have Ann O’ Shea, Head of Service Primary Care, HSE at Pavee Point this week.
Ms. O Shea met with Traveller Community Healthcare Workers and heard how important it is to protect and resource Traveller Health Units and Traveller Primary Health Care Projects. ‘It’s at this level we find out about the emerging needs of our community,” said Mary Brigid Collins, Primary Health Care Project, Pavee Point.
“It’s through our projects that we can promote preventative healthcare among Travellers. This is so important to rebalance the health inequalities that exist between Travellers and the general population.”
“But we need senior healthcare managers to be involved and we need high level commitment from Community Health Care Organisations.”
The All Ireland Traveller Health Study showed that Traveller men have a 15 year lower life expectancy than settled men and Traveller women have a 11.5 year lower life expectancy than settled women.
