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Indigenous ear clinic celebrates anniversary The clinic has provided more than 1500 instances of care in its 10 years of existence A clinic that has helped improve the hearing of hundreds of Indigenous Victorians celebrated its 10-year anniversary in April. The Healthy Ears Clinic was established in partnership between the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service (VAHS) and the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, with the support of Rural Workforce Agency Victoria in 2012. Since then, more than 220 surgeries have been carried out to improve the hearing of young Indigenous patients. Ear, Nose and Throat surgeon Professor Stephen O’Leary has been operating at the clinic since its inception and says the clinic addresses a significant health concern within the Indigenous community. “Ear disease is a big problem and one that starts before children are even speaking. By the time they turn one, about 90 per cent of Indigenous children have some form of ear disease.
“It might be a hole in the eardrum or fluid behind the eardrum; these problems can have a long-term effect on hearing, which impacts on education and socialisation,” Professor O’Leary said.
The partnership between VAHS and the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital was established after health professionals from the hospital spent time in Alice Springs treating ear problems.
According to the Australia’s Health 2018: In Brief report, Indigenous children are 2.9 times as likely as non-Indigenous children to have long-term ear or hearing problems.
The organisations recognised there were similar hearing needs among local Indigenous children in Victoria.
