The South Australian West Coast ACCHO Network (SAWCAN) brings the skills and knowledge of five Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations together to improve the lives of our people.
SAWCAN was established in 2020 as a partnership consisting of five Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) on the Eyre Peninsula and Far West Coast of South Australia.
The ACCHOs include:
- Nunyara Aboriginal Health Service in Whyalla
- Port Lincoln Aboriginal Health Service in Port Lincoln
- Yadu Health Aboriginal Corporation in Ceduna
- Tullawon Health Service in Yalata
- Oak Valley Health Service in Oak Valley
Together, the five partner ACCHOs provide comprehensive primary health care to approximately 5,500 Aboriginal people in a region spanning 1,300 kilometres from Whyalla to the border of Western Australia.
Stay connected with SAWCAN
Tackling Indigenous Smoking
Program of the month
Australia’s Tackling Indigenous Smoking Program is a community-led program that aims to improve the health of our people by inspiring all of us to quit or cut down on smokes and vapes. Smoking is a significant health issue within these communities, contributing to various chronic diseases and a reduced life expectancy.
Latest from Facebook
PLAHS Easter closure dates. ... See MoreSee Less
It’s Purple Up Day for Epilepsy💜
Got your purple T-shirt on? Maybe purple socks with your purple Crocs?
Deadly. Now, let’s talk about epilepsy.
Epilepsy is something that can happen in the brain. Our brains send messages to our bodies. Sometimes these messages get mixed up. When this happens, it can cause something called a seizure. If someone has a seizure more than once, a person might be living with epilepsy.
A seizure can make a person move or act differently for a short time. They might:
• shake, blink, or twitch
• look straight ahead and not answer when you talk to them
• feel confused, strange, scared or dizzy
• fall over or feel wobbly on their feet
Knowing what seizures can look like helps our communities look out for each other.
Many people living with epilepsy lead full and active lives, there are lots of ways to keep your brain healthy and manage seizures.
Want to learn more? Yarn with your health team at your local ACCHO.
Nunyara Aboriginal Health Service Inc Port Lincoln Aboriginal Health Services Yadu Health Aboriginal Corporation #TullawonHealth #OakValleyHealth
#EpilepsyAwareness #SAWCAN #StrongerTogether #SupportingOurMob ... See MoreSee Less
ACCHOs guiding how our data is managed and protected.
On 12 September 2025, more than 30 researchers, policy makers and Indigenous governance members came together to explore what Indigenous data sovereignty means in practice, especially in genomics healthcare.
For Mob, this is about making sure our information is handled the right way.
The workshop focused on practical steps for how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander data is stored, analysed and governed within modern genomics systems. Using real case studies, participants worked through what respectful, accountable data management should look like.
When ACCHOs and Indigenous governance voices are part of these conversations, expectations are clearer.
Our data is not just information. It carries culture, story and responsibility. Doing data right means protecting community authority, now and into the future.
Nunyara Aboriginal Health Service Inc Yadu Health Aboriginal Corporation Port Lincoln Aboriginal Health Services #Tullawonhealth #oakvalleyhealth
#research #sawcan #StrongerTogether #SupportingOurMob ... See MoreSee Less