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Harmony In Health

Every year Australians celebrate Harmony Week, recognising the country’s rich cultural diversity and promoting the message that everyone belongs. In a city like Canberra, where people from across the world have made it their home, this means ensuring everyone has access to clear, culturally appropriate health information so they can confidently navigate the healthcare system and look after their wellbeing.

We know that language and cultural barriers can sometimes make it harder for people to learn about hepatitis and liver health, ask questions, or seek care. That’s why we created the LiverWise Program – an initiative designed to make liver health and viral hepatitis education more accessible and inclusive for multicultural communities in the ACT.

Meeting People in Their Own Language

Health information is only useful if people can understand it.

For many people living in Canberra whose first language isn’t English, navigating medical information can feel overwhelming. Through the LiverWise Program, we are working directly with Chinese, Vietnamese and Mandarin-speaking communities to ensure liver health and viral hepatitis education is delivered in a way that feels clear, culturally respectful and easy to engage with.

Our bilingual educators provide this information in people’s own languages, this creates a space where community members can ask questions freely, understand risk factors, and learn about testing and care without feeling confused or excluded. When people receive information in a language they are comfortable with, they are far more likely to feel confident making decisions about their health.

Photos sourced from Australian Government, Department of Home Affairs – Harmony Week Assets

Building Trust Through Community:

Programs like LiverWise are about more than translation, they are about trust. For many migrant and multicultural communities, health systems in a new country can feel unfamiliar. Cultural expectations, past healthcare experiences, and language barriers can all affect whether someone feels comfortable reaching out for support.

By connecting directly with communities in comfortable settings to provide culturally aware education, LiverWise helps bridge that gap. It creates a pathway for people to learn about viral hepatitis, understand how it affects their liver health, and know where to go if they need testing or care. This kind of community connection plays an important role in reducing stigma and ensuring people feel safe accessing services.

A More Inclusive Future for Liver Health

Harmony Day celebrates the idea that everyone belongs, in healthcare that means ensuring no one is left behind because of language, culture or access to information.

Through LiverWise, we are taking practical steps to make liver health education more inclusive in the ACT. By working with multicultural communities and offering education in multiple languages, we are helping more people understand their health and feel confident reaching out for support. When communities feel included, informed and supported, everyone benefits.