Northern Territory eye surgery blitz
Starting on 7 April, three five-day eye surgery blitzes in Alice Springs will help save or improve the sight of up to 150 Indigenous Australians.
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Previous MinistersPDF printable version of Northern Territory eye surgery blitz (PDF 16 KB)
7 April 2008
NR08/41
Starting today, three five-day eye surgery blitzes to be held in Alice Springs will help save or improve the sight of up to 150 Indigenous Australians.
The initiative involves three concentrated rounds of eye surgery, to be conducted throughout 2008 at the Alice Springs Hospital. In each five-day round, it is planned that 10 operations a day will be conducted.
Indigenous patients from remote communities throughout Central Australia will be transported to Alice Springs for specialist surgery, with accommodation and patient support also provided during their course of treatment.
The first surgery round will be held from 7 April to 11 April, with further sessions scheduled for August and October 2008.
The eye surgery blitz is a joint initiative involving the Fred Hollows Foundation, the Eye Foundation, the Anyinginyi Health Aboriginal Corporation, the Central Australian Aboriginal Congress and the Australian and Northern Territory Governments.
The eye surgery blitzes are part of the Central Australian Integrated Eye Health Program, which is establishing a new approach to providing comprehensive eye care in Central Australia. The Australian Government has committed almost $237,000 towards the cost of this program in 2008.
Improving eye health is an essential part of the Australian Government’s commitment to closing the gap in health care and life expectancy between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
The eye surgery blitz will help patients from 35 remote Central Australian communities and Indigenous residents of Alice Springs and Tennant Creek.
Cataracts, poor eyesight and blindness severely hinder educational development and create barriers to other social and employment opportunities. These conditions continue to cause serious problems in Indigenous communities throughout Australia.
In previous rounds of the eye blitz initiative, around 70 per cent of the surgical procedures conducted have been for cataract.
Media inquiries only: Sean Kelly - 0417 108 362
For all other inquiries please contact the Minister's office - 02 6277 7220
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