MEDIA RELEASE
On behalf of its members in the eye health and vision care sector, Vision 2020 Australia welcomes today’s appointment by the Prime Minister, the Hon Malcom Turnbull MP, of the Hon Greg Hunt MP as Minister for Health and Sport, and the Hon Minister Ken Wyatt AM MP as Minister for Aged Care and Indigenous Health.
Vision 2020 Australia is looking forward to working closely with Minister Hunt on reducing the rates of avoidable blindness and vision loss and ensuring people who are blind or vision impaired have access to the most appropriate services and supports they need to fully participate in the community.
In Australia, more than 453,000 people are blind or vision impaired. As the population ages this number is expected to increase despite 90 per cent of blindness and vision impairment being preventable or treatable with early detection.
“The National Eye Health Survey published last year by Vision 2020 Australia and the Centre for Eye Research Australia confirmed we are making progress in reducing avoidable blindness and vision impairment. However, there is more work to be done,” said Vision 2020 Australia CEO Carla Northam.
“We need to build on this valuable research, strive to ensure all people who are blind or vision impaired have equal access to services and supports in order to live the life they choose and continue efforts to reduce the gap in eye health and vision care between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and non-Indigenous Australians.”
“We are thrilled to be continuing our work with Minister Wyatt and recognise his valuable contributions to the Aged Care and Indigenous sector,” Ms Northam said.
As the leading national body on eye health and vision care, Vision 2020 Australia and its members will work closely with both appointed Ministers on ensuring that eye health and vision care remains high on the health, aged care and Indigenous agendas of the Australian government.
ENDS
For more information: Adam Sawell at Vision 2020 Australia
03 9656 2020 or asawell@vision2020australia.org.au
About Vision 2020 Australia
Established in October 2000, Vision 2020 Australia is part of VISION 2020: The Right to Sight, a global initiative of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB). As the national peak body for the eye health and vision care sector, Vision 2020 Australia represents over 50 member organisations involved in: local and global eye care; health promotion; low vision support; vision rehabilitation; eye research; professional assistance; and community support.