UD Trucks powers the St John Eye Van as it expands its service across regional Queensland
Press release
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August 06, 2023
UD Trucks Australia in partnership with the St John Ambulance Queensland is pleased to announce the return of St John’s successful Eye Van service to the Bundaberg region, aimed at enhancing the eye health of First Nations people in the Wide Bay Burnett region. This latest initiative marks a significant milestone with it coinciding with the profit-for-purpose charity celebrating 140 years of service this month.
The St John’s Ambulance Eye Van is the first of its kind in the world, and thanks to the support of UD Trucks Australia, is bringing world-class facilities to rural and remote communities in an effort to substantially reduce blindness and visual impairment amongst Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders with diabetes, treating over 7000 people since its inception in 2013.
Lauren Pulitano, Vice President of UD Trucks Australia praised the St John Eye Van initiative and its impact on Queensland communities.
“We congratulate St John Ambulance on its 140th anniversary in Australia and for the commendable work undertaken throughout this time. The Eye Van is a true testament to St John's dedication to improving quality of life and to see this impact is very special.
At UD Trucks, our purpose is Better Life, and we are proud to be a partner of St John and the Eye Van and to have our UD Quon GK 4x2 prime mover powering the clinic across Queensland, allowing St John's incredible team to deliver life-changing ophthalmology services to rural and remote communities that need it most.” she said.
Ambulance Queensland, emphasised the importance of this endeavour.
“Our sight-saving program reduces preventable blindness through our mobile ophthalmic treatment facility. The St John Eye Van travels to rural and remote First Nations communities across Queensland, making it possible for more ophthalmologists to bring their expertise to people that are marginalised due to distance and access.
These diagnosed with diabetes are three times more likely to suffer from diabetic retinopathy, and 94% of identified cases are curable or treatable when diagnosed early.
Alarmingly, one in three diagnosed individuals will also experience vision loss, which, if detected in the early stages, can be prevented, or treated in 94% of cases,” she said.
St John Eye Van's return to Bundaberg has been warmly welcomed back by Wayne Mulvany, the CEO of the Indigenous Wellbeing Centre.
“We are excited to welcome this service back, the previous service helped treat 400 Bundaberg patients between 2016 to 2018, Services like this are incredibly important for our community,
This service provides patients access to an Ophthalmologist, Optometrist, and Orthoptist to reduce the risk of blindness from sight-threatening conditions like Diabetic Retinopathy.
First Nations people can also be at greater risk of developing Type I and Type II Diabetes, and we know diabetes can be a silent killer” he said.
St John Ambulance's program aims to bridge the health gap for Indigenous and remote communities by utilising a telehealth approach to diagnose patients.
This approach minimises travel, time, and expenses associated with accessing quality eye health treatment. By providing services within the familiar cultural surroundings of their own community, the St John Eye Van aims to make eye health more accessible to those who need it most
