Senator Trish Crossin has today enthusiastically welcomed the announcement of $58.3million over 4 years to improve eye and ear health in Indigenous Communities.
Date: 26 February 2009
Senator Trish Crossin has today enthusiastically welcomed the announcement of $58.3million over 4 years to improve eye and ear health in Indigenous Communities.
This funding will go towards several initiatives, including the eradication and prevention of the infectious eye disease Trachoma, prevalent in Indigenous communities in the NT.
It will allow at least 10 regional teams to treat and help prevent the disease in the NT, as well as WA, SA and other states where Trachoma is identified.
This announcement is fantastic news, Senator Crossin said.
Trachoma is an infectious disease of the eye that is caused by bacteria.
It scars the eyelid, which can lead to the eyelashes rubbing and scratching the cornea and if left untreated can lead to vision loss.
Reports indicate that blindness and vision loss are 10 to 24 times higher in Indigenous people than in mainstream, although the national data is 30 years old.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics report that 38% of Indigenous people report vision loss as a significant health problem, much more than other health problems.
This vision loss is preventable, particularly if its cause, Trachoma, is eradicated. Trachoma has not been seen in Australian cities for 100 years.
Australia is the only developed country in the world where Trachoma exists.
By eradicating trachoma, a preventable disease, it will help Indigenous kids get the start in life they deserve.
After campaigning for many years to have this disease brought to the attention of Government, Senator Crossin said this announcement is long overdue.
The attention to Trachoma in this announcement is also due to the work of the Fred Hollows Foundation and Professor Hugh Taylor.