Mobile Health Unit Visits Mackay On Maiden Voyage

A world-first mobile health unit that will help with the early detection of lung diseases visited Mackay last Friday after departing Brisbane earlier that week.

The state-of-the-art Queensland-built HEART 5 vehicle was developed between the State Government and Heart of Australia and will assist in the early detection of mine dust lung diseases in regional Queensland workers.

Resources Minister Scott Stewart farewelled the vehicle from Brisbane last week.

“HEART 5 is a revolutionary piece of technology that will bring high-quality respiratory health screenings to mine and quarry workers in regional and remote parts of the state,” Mr Stewart said.

“This means workers won’t have to travel as far to access highly specialised services, ensuring earlier detection and intervention in cases of mine dust lung diseases like black lung and silicosis.”

The facility contains an x-ray machine and a world-first battery-powered high-resolution computerised tomography (CT) scanner.

Mr Stewart said HEART 5 has been built by Queenslanders, for Queenslanders.

“The robust vehicle was constructed in Narangba to the highest standards, in order to withstand the wear and tear of travelling through rural Queensland,” Mr Stewart said.

Heart of Australia founder Dr Rolf Gomes said that HEART 5 can do a CT parked on a mine site, and this is a world first.

“HEART 5 breaks down the tyranny of distance, so if you do have a lung disease, we can find it early and quickly,” Dr Gomes said.

Speaking in Mackay, Heart of Australia’s Head of Operations and Business Development Ewan Wylie said HEART 5 is a project of passion as a former respiratory scientist.

“I’ve sadly now met over 100 people affected by these preventable diseases,” he said.

“We can set up on a mine site, in a worker’s club car park or in a cane field and do a CT anytime, anywhere.

“We’ll be able to diagnose conditions earlier and support more informed treatment keeping miners and their communities healthier and improving their quality of life.”

HEART 5 journeyed to coal mining community Collinsville to begin vital work screening workers and former workers of mines and quarries.

“On our maiden journey over the last four days we have screened 74 retired miners from the Bowen Basin,” Mr Wylie said.

“We have already found on initial review a number of abnormal findings and have actioned some further investigations for some.

“We will be returning to Collinsville soon to complete all the required investigations once we have put all those screenings through all our specialists. “

CFMEU Queensland’s District President Steven Smyth said it doesn’t end there.

“The next step is taking this out to the regions, further providing the service that needs to be done, and then providing the backup services these mineworkers, their families and the community will need,” Mt Smyth said.

L-R Heart of Australia’s Corporate Health Initiative Program Lead Andrew Bailey, Heart of Australia’s Head of Operations and Business Development Ewan Wylie, CFMEU District President Stephen Smyth, Resources Minister Scott Stewart, Labor Candidate for Dawson Shane Hamilton, and Member for Mackay Julieanne Gilbert. Photo: Amanda Wright

Heart of Australia’s Corporate Health Initiative Program Lead Andrew Bailey addresses an impressive crowd welcoming HEART 5 to the Resources Centre of Excellence.

A MRI scanner is part of the impressive equipment onboard the mobile health unit

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