Johnson & Johnson partners to close the gap on eye health for Aboriginal communities

MedTech News: The Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies in Australia (JJFC) today announced it has partnered with the Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia (AHCWA) to help close the disparity in eye health in Aboriginal Australians.

The partnership will support AHCWA’s Eye Health Coordination Program, which is designed to identify gaps in essential eye care in Aboriginal communities in Western Australia and concentrate on the areas that will lead to improved eye health including equipment availability, skills training, data and patient information, follow up care and access to spectacles.

AHCWA’s Executive Manager of Public Health, Shirley Newell, said “The Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies understands how critical it is to close the gap in eye health for Aboriginal people, and they share the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Sector’s passion in leading the charge for health equity. Together, we will work to improve the overall effectiveness of our Eye Health System and bring greater participation and education in screening and treatment of eye treatments to Aboriginal people and communities in WA.”

The move follows JJFC’s recommitment to the principals of its Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) 2021-2023, which was announced earlier this year. JJFC’s reconciliation journey to date includes $1.75M in overall health equity program funding in Aboriginal health programs, including investments to improve eye health. Addressing preventable blindness in Aboriginal communities is a key pillar of Johnson & Johnson’s Global Community Impact priorities in Australia and New Zealand (ANZ).

Kris Ashpole, Johnson & Johnson Global Community Impact Lead ANZ, said “The spirit of our Credo challenges us to help the people in our communities live healthier lives through better access to healthcare. Tackling preventable blindness in the primary health system is a major part of that challenge and while we have seen improvements in the disparities around eye health in Aboriginal communities, there is still a long way to go. We’re proud to join forces with AHCWA to narrow the gap in eye care even further by helping to provide the resources needed to ensure all Aboriginal people receive regular eye care as part of their primary health care.”