Media Releases and Communiques
Health Ministers Agree to National Eye Health Framework
Australian Government, State and Territory Health Ministers today released Australia’s first National Framework for Action to Promote Eye Health and Reduce Avoidable Blindness and Vision Loss.
18 November 2005
Joint Communique
Australian Government, State and Territory Health Ministers today released Australia’s first National Framework for Action to Promote Eye Health and Reduce Avoidable Blindness and Vision Loss.The Framework has been developed in response to World Health Assembly resolution 56.26 on the elimination of avoidable blindness, and is part of a worldwide initiative to save sight wherever possible. Its scope is to promote eye health and prevent avoidable blindness.
In Australia the major causes of blindness and vision loss are the age-related degenerative eye diseases, such as cataract, glaucoma and macular degeneration. With the demographic ageing of the Australian population, the number of people affected is projected to rise.
The Framework sets out a range of strategies to improve public awareness of eye health, to prevent, where possible, eye disease and injury occurring, and to detect eye disease early and apply effective treatments before vision is lost unnecessarily.
It was agreed to issues relating to the rehabilitation of people with a visual disability to the Community and Disability Services’ Ministers’ Conference
Media Contact:
Richard O’Leary, Media Advisor for NT Minister for Health
Mobile: 0401 119 586
Phone No: 08 8901 4118
Fax No: 08 8901 4119
E-mail: richard.oleary@ntn.gov.au
