In an effort to lessen the health gap between urban and rural Australia, a television health channel has been recently launched by the Rural Health Education Foundation, the institute that since 20 years is into this noble cause and has been providing free distant learning education programs to thousands of professionals.

The foundation board has initiated the effort to educate all the people in the country over health education especially the areas that are lacking the medical facilities.

PROFESSOR Sabina Knight, director of the Mount Isa Centre for Rural and Remote Health is one of the board members of the Foundation and was in Canberra yesterday along with three other federal ministers: Ms. Tanya Plibersek, Mr. Stephen Conroy and Mr. Warren Snowdon, to launch the Rural Health Channel.

Data showed that the mortality rate in country towns and regions nearby metropolitan areas is rising higher and so the issue stood at priority for the Gillard Government, which has launched the channel to improve health care services for people living in rural, regional and remote Australian regions.

"Improving access to information on healthy lifestyles and reducing risks factors will make a significant difference in local communities,” said PROFESSOR Sabina Knight.