Honorary doctorate for contribution to indigenous health

An Indigenous health worker has been awarded an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Science in recognition of her contribution to Indigenous health and wellbeing at a graduation ceremony at The University of Western Australia.

Annette Stokes AM was presented with the doctorate as part of the university’s winter graduation program that saw 1,950 students receive their degrees across eight ceremonies.

Ms Stokes, from the Rural Clinical School of WA and an Honorary Research Fellow from UWA’s School of Earth Sciences, is an accomplished artist and musician, and a senior woman of the three main tribal groups of Goldfields region – the Wongutha, Mulba-Ngadu and Anagu.

“I have worked to help identify health and wellbeing issues and how they impact Aboriginal peoples and their communities to improve healthcare outcomes,” Ms Stokes said.

“My standing in the community means I have been able to talk frankly to senior members and elders by consulting around campfires, in kitchens over cups of tea, in art gatherings and at formal workshops.”

Ms Stokes has a background in early childhood education, completed Aboriginal health worker training and has been integral to several major health and research projects in the Goldfields region including the Western Desert Kidney Health Project.

She was a chief investigator for the project, which grew from the despair of the Aboriginal people of the Goldfields and their desire to reduce the effects of renal disease and type 2 diabetes in their communities.

Ms Stokes’ contribution to medicine was recognised in 2004 when she was awarded the Fiona Stanley medal and in 2017 she was made a Member of the Order of Australia.

More than 6,500 people are expected to converge on UWA’s Crawley campus for the festivities, with the first graduation starting at 11am on Tuesday 23 July.

* Images courtesy of UWA