A leading Australian centre has been awarded $12 million to help Indigenous kids.

Menzies School of Health Research has welcomed the announcement of National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) funding for new and ongoing research.

Nine grants have been awarded to Menzies by Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Nigel Scullion, and Minister for Indigenous Health, Ken Wyatt.

The new funding will enable research teams to address fundamentally important health issues including maternal immunisation to improve child health and identifying key stages from early childhood throughout life when treatments to prevent chronic disease will be most effective.

“We’re about identifying critical health issues and finding ways to tackle them. Through our research, based on good science, we aim to make the maximal difference,” said Menzies Director, Professor Alan Cass.

“I would like to thank the Minister for Indigenous Affairs Senator Nigel Scullion and Minister for Indigenous Health Ken Wyatt for announcing these grants from the NHMRC here in Darwin, and for your commitment to improving Indigenous health in this country.

“The knowledge and understanding which Minister Wyatt brings to this portfolio through his extensive experience in the fields of Health and Education is wonderful for research teams working at the frontline of healthcare research and service delivery.”