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Prepare now for bird flu, warns Qld govt
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=65570
Friday Oct 20 16:07 AEST
Queensland's opposition has accused the government of failing to act on the real issues that will confront the state if there is an influenza pandemic. Health spokesman Bruce Flegg said the government's decision to stockpile 30,000 courses of anti-viral drugs would treat less than half of Queensland Health staff for just five days.
"Queenslanders could be falsely reassured by the stockpile announcement, which ignores the real issues threatening Queenslanders in a disease outbreak," Dr Flegg said.
"The issue that will cripple Queensland in the event of any major infectious disease outbreak is the total lack of capacity of the medical system in this state."Dr Flegg said Queensland public hospital occupancies were already running at or above 100 per cent with no infectious disease outbreak. This compared with the recommended occupancy rate of 85 per cent to allow for even normal emergencies, he said.
"The critical shortage of nursing and medical staff will also be disastrous for Queensland in the event of a serious infectious disease outbreak, where not uncommonly 30 per cent of nursing staff will be struck down in the early stages," he said.
Queensland Health Minister Stephen Robertson said the drug stockpile was the centrepiece of a $1.65 million government package designed to better prepare Queensland for bird flu or influenza pandemic.
He said the 30,000 courses of Tamiflu and Relenza would be used to treat infected patients as well as emergency and hospital workers in the event of an outbreak of influenza pandemic.
Politicians would not receive the treatment, but some members of the media might, he said.
"The advice is that such an outbreak would be local and that having that store of 30,000 courses of treatment is enough to control the spread in the first instance," he said.
Queensland was preparing a strategic plan to deal with various scenarios in the case of a flu pandemic and hoped to release that by the end of the year, Mr Robertson said.
"There is no immediate threat and it is important to reiterate that people should not panic," he said.
Mr Robertson said it would be months before the state received drugs due to high demand for the flu treatment.
The government's $1.65 million package also included infection control training for healthcare workers, including ambulance officers, and better surveillance.
Queensland would also spend $170,000 this year to buy new molecular virology equipment for the Queensland Health Scientific Services Laboratory to improve rapid virus testing capabilities.
AAP
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=65570
Friday Oct 20 16:07 AEST
Queensland's opposition has accused the government of failing to act on the real issues that will confront the state if there is an influenza pandemic. Health spokesman Bruce Flegg said the government's decision to stockpile 30,000 courses of anti-viral drugs would treat less than half of Queensland Health staff for just five days.
"Queenslanders could be falsely reassured by the stockpile announcement, which ignores the real issues threatening Queenslanders in a disease outbreak," Dr Flegg said.
"The issue that will cripple Queensland in the event of any major infectious disease outbreak is the total lack of capacity of the medical system in this state."Dr Flegg said Queensland public hospital occupancies were already running at or above 100 per cent with no infectious disease outbreak. This compared with the recommended occupancy rate of 85 per cent to allow for even normal emergencies, he said.
"The critical shortage of nursing and medical staff will also be disastrous for Queensland in the event of a serious infectious disease outbreak, where not uncommonly 30 per cent of nursing staff will be struck down in the early stages," he said.
Queensland Health Minister Stephen Robertson said the drug stockpile was the centrepiece of a $1.65 million government package designed to better prepare Queensland for bird flu or influenza pandemic.
He said the 30,000 courses of Tamiflu and Relenza would be used to treat infected patients as well as emergency and hospital workers in the event of an outbreak of influenza pandemic.
Politicians would not receive the treatment, but some members of the media might, he said.
"The advice is that such an outbreak would be local and that having that store of 30,000 courses of treatment is enough to control the spread in the first instance," he said.
Queensland was preparing a strategic plan to deal with various scenarios in the case of a flu pandemic and hoped to release that by the end of the year, Mr Robertson said.
"There is no immediate threat and it is important to reiterate that people should not panic," he said.
Mr Robertson said it would be months before the state received drugs due to high demand for the flu treatment.
The government's $1.65 million package also included infection control training for healthcare workers, including ambulance officers, and better surveillance.
Queensland would also spend $170,000 this year to buy new molecular virology equipment for the Queensland Health Scientific Services Laboratory to improve rapid virus testing capabilities.
AAP
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