Milpa and Community Engagement Rate Highly in Trachoma Health Promotion Evaluation Report

Minum Barreng: Indigenous Eye Health Unit (MB: IEHU) at the University of Melbourne has been leading health promotion activities to support trachoma elimination since 2009, with funding support from the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care since 2015. In 2024, an evaluation was undertaken to inform future health promotion efforts, focusing on the effectiveness, efficiency, and appropriateness of activities.

Nama Jalu Consulting, a majority Aboriginal owned and led social enterprise, was engaged to support the evaluation, which was guided by an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Reference Group.

Using a Delphi survey method, fifty experts from across the trachoma elimination sector reviewed and rated 19 different health promotion initiatives carried out between 2010 and 2022. High participation rates were achieved, with 78% responding to the first survey and 70% to the second. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representation was strong, with 20% of first-round respondents and 28% of second-round respondents identifying as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.

The evaluation identified the five most effective initiatives:

• Milpa the Trachoma Goanna character costume
• Milpa and 'Clean Faces, Strong Eyes' branding
• Community engagement
• Partnerships and collaboration
• Milpa’s Six Steps to Stop Germs trachoma resources

In total, 14 of the 19 initiatives were rated as 60% effective or higher. Activities that involved direct community engagement and on the ground presence were ranked highest for both effectiveness and future priority. The value of continuing trachoma health promotion was strongly reinforced by the expert panel and workshop discussions, particularly highlighting the importance of Aboriginal leadership and local community involvement.

The full evaluation report, which includes detailed findings, key learnings, and future recommendations, is available here.