Trachoma and the Voice
IEHU contributed to a national news piece on the importance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participation, involvement, determination and leadership in the path to eliminate trachoma in Australia.
Nick Wilson, IEHU Associate Director and lead of IEHU Health Promotion and Community Engagement work, featured in a series of ABC news articles (print, radio and TV) illustrating how community determination has led to significant progress over the past decade to eliminate trachoma and how this was an example of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voice being critical to improve health in First Nation’s communities. The extension of this example is how the Voice to Parliament can make a real difference for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing.
The stories also feature Lesley Martin and Walter Bathern, IEHU community engagement officers based in Alice Springs, filming in Central Australia but also at the Deadly Vision Centre in Darwin, an Aboriginal enterprise established by Shaun Tatipata, IEHU Associate Director and lead of IEHU Advocacy and Leadership.
See the related news pieces here:
Article: Rates of preventable blindness have halved but to beat trachoma we need better housing, experts say. (ABC News, Alison Branley)
Radio: Consulting with Indigenous communities could help eradicate an eye disease that causes blindness. (ABC Listen. Alison Branley, featuring: Nick Wilson, Trachoma Program Manager, University of Melbourne. John Paterson, Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory, Chief Executive. Warren Mundine, Indigenous leader and "No" Voice campaigner)
Video: Rates of trachoma drop following efforts to eliminate the eye disease. (ABC News)
Youtube:
Video: Blindness in Indigenous communities slashed by community-led initatives. (ABC News, Alison Branley)
VIdeo: Rates of blindness slashed by community-let programs. (ABC Evening News)
Audio: Indigenous communities look to eradicate eye disease. (ABC News)
Article: An Indigenous Voice will help fight against endemic disease (Ministers Department of Health and Aged Care)