Northern Territory 2011

In July 2011, Foundation Governors Dr Thomas Hurley and Sir Daryl Dawson along with program manager Dr Alberto Furlan, took part in a field trip to the Northern Territory with philanthropist Harold Mitchell, Melbourne University’s Professor Hugh Taylor and other private donors.

The Foundation is a supporter of the Indigenous Eye Health Program – a five year program addressing the gross disparities in eye health between indigenous Australians and the mainstream population. Based at the University of Melbourne under the leadership of Professor Hugh Taylor AC, Harold Mitchell Chair of Indigenous Eye Health, the program takes an Australia-wide approach to assessing and treating the eye health of all Indigenous Australians.

Australia is the only developed country with an Indigenous population suffering from endemic trachoma. Professor Taylor and his team have set the ambitious task of eliminating this preventable condition and, judging by the results of the first year, they are on the right track.

Across the Northern Territory the trachoma prevention program has been extremely successful with a 50 percent reduction of incidence of the disease in the first year of operation.

During the field trip the representatives from the Foundation had the chance to meet with community leaders, and local health workers in Alice Springs, Katherine and the very remote community of Kalkarindji.

Professor Taylor and the local health workers attribute the success of the program to the effective communication strategy. In each location, health workers consult widely with the community explaining the causes of trachoma, how the condition manifests, and the preventative hygiene measures that each individual can take. These consultations led to the production of appealing and culturally appropriate health education materials that are distributed in schools, health clinics and in the communities.

The communication strategy also features "Yamba", the honey ant, a very popular Central Australian television character as well as AFL footballers who all help to spread the message: “Clean Faces, Strong Eyes”. 

The field trip was an extraordinary opportunity to witness the benefits of meaningful community engagement and the positive initial results of one of our grants.

- Alberto Furlan