$58.3m boost for Indigenous eye and ear health
Source: Australia. Prime Minister. Media Release
"The Rudd Government will invest $58.3 million to help tackle eye and ear diseases in Indigenous communities – including diseases rarely seen outside the third world.
Too many Indigenous people suffer avoidable vision loss and hearing loss. That is unacceptable, and this investment will help turn that around.
The $58.3 million over four years includes:
at least 1,000 additional ear and eye surgical procedures will be made available, reflecting the high need for these services
a major increase in services to address trachoma, which will enable at least 10 regional teams to treat and help prevent the disease in NT, WA, SA and other states where trachoma is identified
expanding the Visiting Optometrist Scheme, to provide new and increased numbers of optometrist visits to remote and very remote communities
increased training of health workers to make sure they can pick up any hearing problems of Indigenous people as early as possible
investments in hearing medical equipment including audiometers, tympanometers (machines used to test hearing loss) and video-otoscopes (devices for looking inside the ears)
hearing-health promotion to increase awareness of ear disease and the importance of providing and following treatment to reduce hearing loss in Indigenous communities "