Indigenous art used to teach good health

Australia's poorest health statistic is the 17-year disparity in life expectancy between Aboriginal men and other males.

And while the Rudd government has committed to closing the gap, service delivery and language barriers remain ongoing hurdles.

Health professionals from Oenpelli, near Kakadu National Park, are utilising local culture to reach residents of the remote community, ensuring they have an understanding not only of basic health but also complicated conditions.

"The paintings are a form that the local people can understand and recognise," said GP Hugh Heggie from the Oenpelli Health Clinic.

"It is much easier to explain complicated health conditions using pictures."