A virtual conversation with Dr James Muecke AM

Speakers

• Dr James Muecke AM

  Since starting his medical career in Kenya, Dr Muecke has been passionate about fighting blindness. His focus now is the leading cause of blindness in adults – type 2 diabetes – a spiralling epidemic that's impacting nearly one-in-ten Australians. It's the fastest growing cause of vision loss in Aboriginal people and the sixth-biggest killer in this country. Dr Muecke co-founded ‘Vision Myanmar’ at the South Australian Institute of Ophthalmology in 2000, which has developed and operated eye health and blindness initiatives in Myanmar. Inspired by this program's success, he co-founded ‘Sight For All’, a social impact organisation aiming to create a world where everyone can see. With 80% of world blindness avoidable – and almost 90% in poor countries – Dr Muecke treats blindness as a human rights issue.

  

• Professor Bruce Neal

  Professor Bruce Neal is Executive Director at The George Institute for Global Health Australia and Professor of Medicine, UNSW Sydney. Professor Neal is a UK-trained physician who has 20 years research experience in the clinical, epidemiological, and public health fields with a focus on heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Professor Neal has a longstanding interest in the environmental determinants of high blood pressure and the potential for changes in the food supply to deliver health gains. His work has been characterised by its focus on collaboration, quantitation, translation and impact. He holds professorial appointments at UNSW Sydney, Imperial College London, Flinders University in South Australia, an honorary appointment at the University of Sydney.