KEN TICEHURST

ADJOURNMENT: Health: Meningococcal Disease

Mr TICEHURST (Dobell) (10.35 p.m.) —Tonight I rise to address the House on one of the greatest tragedies any parent would ever have to face: the tragedy of losing a child. Currently in Australia there are a number of parents who are having to deal with that very tragedy. As at the end of July this year, there have been 24 deaths in Australia which have all been due to the onslaught of a relatively new menace in our community, one that has been identified as meningococcal disease. It is an illness that can strike without warning, and a disease that can be extremely difficult to diagnose. In its early stages it can wreak so much damage so very quickly. Worldwide there are 500,000 cases of meningococcal reported annually and each year 50,000 people die of the disease. However, if the disease is diagnosed in its early stages, it can be treated effectively. So it is obvious that we all must remain vigilant in the face of such a threat to human life.

Last Friday in my electorate of Dobell I attended the launch of a new initiative by the Meningococcal Association of Australia. This association represents a broad group of people dedicated to fighting this terrible disease. Their new initiative took the form of a brochure designed to educate and inform the public about the relevant symptoms and the steps they can take in the event that somebody is suspected of having meningococcal disease. It is imperative that all parents obtain a copy of this brochure. The Meningococcal Association of Australia desperately needs more funds to ensure that enough brochures can be printed so that all parents are alerted to this disease, and in turn our defences against any further outbreak can be strengthened.

Shortly, I will be distributing copies of this brochure to all members of both houses, regardless of their political persuasion. I would respectfully ask that they use this brochure to alert their electorates to the steps that parents can take in the face of meningococcal disease. Information about this disease can be found on the web site: http://www.meningococcal.org.au. It is also highly appropriate that the launch of the brochure took place in my electorate because the Central Coast has a dubious distinction: the region has amongst the highest rates of meningococcal disease in Australia.

In fact, recently this disease struck very close to home when Luci, the youngest daughter of two of my closest friends, Sara and David Jarrett, caught this terrible disease. Fortunately, at the first sign of symptoms, Sara took Luci to the local GP who gave her a penicillin injection and she was then rushed off to Gosford Hospital. On arriving at the hospital, Sara insisted that the doctors assume that she had meningococcal disease and be treated accordingly. Soon her worst fears proved correct, with Luci's symptoms increasing. But, due to the early reaction of the doctors at Gosford Hospital, her daughter was eventually cured with no lasting effects. However, for Craig and Julie Calverley of Mardi, also in my electorate, despite their own instincts and the fact that they also rushed their daughter to Wyong hospital, early diagnosis was not achieved and, sadly, their daughter died from meningococcal disease. So you can see that the Central Coast of New South Wales has already paid a high price in relation to the effects of the meningococcal disease and there would be no better place in Australia to launch such an awareness campaign.

What impressed me so much about the launch of this new program was that it was conducted by two other people in my electorate of Dobell who have also experienced the very worst that this dreadful disease can inflict. On 5 June 2001, Michael and Sue-Anne Sanig of Berkeley Vale lost their lovely son Stephen to the ravages of meningococcal disease; he was only seven years of age. Yet here were two people who, despite the enormous pain endured over the loss of their son, had chosen to face that horrific loss not only with tremendous dignity but also with enough courage to look to the future and to use their experience to help others. Michael and Sue-Anne Sanig are an example to all of us. They, along with Joe MacManamon, general manager of the Meningococcal Association of Australia, and many other volunteers, have worked tirelessly to bring this project to fruition. I congratulate them for their efforts.

I would also like to congratulate the Howard government for funding the meningococcal C vaccination program. At a cost of $41 million in the first year, this program will ensure that over one million Australians will be vaccinated against group C meningococcal disease. There is no doubt whatsoever that this is a giant step forward towards finding a solution to stopping the spread of this terrible disease. However, it is important to point out that the two predominant strains of meningococcal are referred to as B and C. (Time expired)

Parliament Speeches

Meningococcal Disease - 27/8/02
Meningococcal Disease - 28/8/02
Meningococcal Disease - 23/6/03
Meningococcal Disease - 20/8/04

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