Karumba Health Centre

Karumba (outback by the sea) is a fishing village with a small but very cosmopolitan population of approximately 550 people. Each year 100,000 tourists and semi-permanent residents visit Karumba during the winter months from April until October.

During this time the population may be 2000 to 3000 people at any one time. Tourism is the focus of several businesses in Karumba including caravan parks, holiday units, fishing and aircraft charter. Karumba's main industry has been based on fishing and its associated support industries such as engineering, marine motors, refrigeration and cold storage.

A prawning fleet operates out of the port, barramundi fishing is a big industry and mud crabs are harvested as well.

Karumba is surrounded by cattle country and live cattle are exported from Karumba destined for international markets. In 1999, Century Zinc commenced operations in Karumba as a drying and export lead/zinc.

Karumba Health clinic provides a Primary Health Care Service.  The Clinic is a level one nurse led facility, offering a range of primary health care, emergency stabilisation, pathology collection, with a Medical Officer performing a GP clinic 12 hours per week.

The clinic provides the coordination of other visiting specialist services and the centre is staffed by a Director of Nursing and a Registered Nurse.

The public have access to a full range of services including:

• Provide emergency stabilisation of patients prior to evacuation.
• Provide primary health care in accordance with the health protocols of the QH Primary Clinical Care Manual.
• Management of chronic disease including primary prevention, early detection, newly identified conditions and manage conditions as per QH Chronic Disease Guidelines.

Visiting services include:

• Mobile Women's Health Nurse;
• Chest Physician;
• Dietician;
• Physiotherapist;
• Podiatrist;
• Mental Health Services.