Mineral Resources has committed $600,000 to fund the expansion of life-changing ear and hearing services into some of WA’s most remote Indigenous communities.
The three-year funding commitment from MinRes will bolster the Lions Healthy Hearing Outback program run by Ear Science Institute Australia, Rural Health West and the Puntukurnu Aboriginal Medical Service.
Since 2014, the program has co-ordinated clinical teams, comprised of audiologists and ear, nose and throat consultants, to assess and treat ear disease and hearing loss in the East Pilbara.
Thanks to the support of MinRes, which is proud to support the communities in which it operates, this specialist ear care will be more accessible and provided closer to home to communities in Newman, Jigalong, Parnngurr, Punmu and Kunawarritji.
The partnership will help deliver a new integrated service model that combines ear, nose and throat services via telehealth with on-the-ground resources.
TeleENT provides fast and effective diagnosis, while a dedicated Ear Health Champion will give on-the-ground logistical support to those patients that need treatment or surgery.
These innovations will provide on Country care to traditional owners in the East Pilbara region, the Nyiyaparli and Martu people, with the aim of improving surgical attendance to levels where real and lasting impact can be achieved.
Read more about the program here.