IEHU and Onemda: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health and Wellbeing

The Indigenous Eye Health Unit (IEHU) is pleased to announce that from 1 January 2023, we will be a unit within a new centre in the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, called Onemda: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health and Wellbeing.

Previously IEHU sat within the Centre for Health Equity and this change of home brings more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander researchers together to advance their work. IEHU joins forces in Onemda with Indigenous Health Equity Unit (IHEU) led by Professor Cath Chamberlain and Indigenous Studies Unit (ISU) headed by Professor Marcia Langton. Professor Chamberlain is the Director of Onemda and also the Professor of Indigenous Health at the University of Melbourne as well as being on the IEHU Advisory Board.

Onemda has been designed as a centre to specialise in Indigenous public health with a focus on research and teaching aimed at improving health and wellbeing outcomes in Australia and elsewhere through partnerships and collaborations and strong ethical foundations.

IEHU history of names and homes in the University includes

Launch of the Onemda: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health and Wellbeing

The official launch of Onemda was held on 1 February 2023, patrons and staff from the former Onemda program, Elders, staff, students, and Indigenous health leaders were welcomed to the Woodward Conference Centre on Wurundjeri Country for the relaunch of the Onemda Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health and Wellbeing.

Meaning ‘love’ or ‘the regard that we have for each other that holds us together as a community’ in the Woiwurrung language,  Onemda will merge the Indigenous Studies Unit, the Indigenous Health Equity Unit, and the Indigenous Eye Health Unit within the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health.

With a clear focus on community at the centre of the three year Strategic Plan, the revitalised Onemda will work to deliver integrated teaching, research, policy advisory, and program implementation to improve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing outcomes.

Following a traditional ceremony welcoming everyone to Country, guests enjoyed a performance by the Djirri Djirri dancers before listening to some reflections shared by patrons and staff that supported the former Onemda program, and those who will continue its important work into the future.

Read the full ONEMDA article here