Page 2530 - Week 08 - Thursday, 19 August 1993
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
With bulk purchasing of vaccine, as has been seen with the recent HIB vaccine contract, all Australians will have the benefit of cheaper nationally available vaccine. Secondly, supply and delivery: With national coordination we will have better systems for supply and delivery of vaccines. Thirdly, data collection: This will ensure that we know where immunisation levels are low and can target national programs. Fourthly, the education of health professionals and the public about immunisation issues: This Labor Government has also initiated a closer working relationship with ACT general practitioners to improve their access to vaccines in return for information about vaccine use. This will enable the Government to be better equipped to measure the immunisation status of ACT children. This will lead to better control measures being implemented if outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases do occur.
The Public Health (Infectious and Notifiable Diseases) Regulations also have been amended to include the mandatory sighting of immunisation records before a child can be enrolled into a child-care centre, preschool or school. This new regulation comes into effect from 1 January 1994 for child-care centres, preschools and kindergarten entry. It will then gradually apply to each entry level in the school system until all newly enrolled children will be included by the year 2000. The regulation aims to identify children who are not immunised or not fully immunised. These children can then, if necessary, be excluded from a child-care centre, preschool or school in the event of an outbreak of a vaccine-preventable disease - for example, whooping cough or measles. The regulation does not mean compulsory immunisation. It aims to lift the profile of immunisation among parents who may otherwise have not kept up with their child's immunisation requirements.
This Government remains committed to an immunisation program as a major public health priority. Immunisation is undeniably one of the most effective means of saving lives and preventing illness and disability among ACT children in a cost-effective manner. Importantly, it is also a socially just procedure for maintaining public health. May I tell you one of the most horrifying stories I ever heard. Most of you here will know of Gay Davidson's child who had a most terrible death. She could have been saved if she had been immunised against the disease at an early age. I also had a very dear friend whose child did unfortunately pick up polio, not here in Australia but while travelling and came back with it. She had not been immunised and now has callipers on her legs. She is no longer a child.
I wonder how children feel when parents have not made the effort to get them immunised and they end up in a wheelchair or with callipers on their legs. It could have been preventable. I must say here that many people have said to me, "Oh, you cannot force people to do this because in some cases children can die from this". There are some children who can be affected by this and for whom it can be rather dangerous, but they are very rare. I think it is the old, old story; that it is better to prevent many, many deaths. I think it is better to prevent the many deaths that could occur. I think it is the exception to the rule that proves the rule.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .