KEN TICEHURST

ADJOURNMENT: Health: Meningococcal Disease

Mr TICEHURST (Dobell) (7.35 p.m.) —The successful implementation of the federal government's meningococcal C vaccination program was dependent on the cooperation of the Commonwealth and state governments, general practitioners and other immunisation providers, as well as the community as a whole. I am sorry to say that the New South Wales government has let us down. Bob Carr shows little interest. Today a year 9 student from a Central Coast high school was diagnosed with C-strain meningococcal disease—the more vicious strain of the disease. It is responsible for a third of meningococcal cases and the majority of deaths.

This is the third year 9 student from Terrigal High School to be diagnosed with the vicious disease this week. Two of the children have just come out of comas; the third one went in today. If the New South Wales government had implemented the school based roll-out of the vaccination schedule and listened to the genuine concerns of Australians, to the federal Minister for Health and Ageing and the claims that I have made, these three 15-year-olds from the Central Coast would not be in hospital, as we speak.

The federal government has invested huge amounts of money on its meningococcal C vaccination program—$291 million over four years to protect those most at risk of this disease. Of this, $82 million was allocated for New South Wales, including more than $78 million for the meningococcal C vaccine and another $4 million to deliver the school based immunisation clinics. Yet the Bob Carr Labor government cannot be bothered to deliver the vaccines to schoolchildren—not even schoolchildren in the high-risk regions like the Central Coast.

In June I rose in parliament to urge the New South Wales health minister to speed up the school based roll-out of the vaccination program to ensure that as many young Australians as possible were protected against meningococcal C disease before the winter, the peak season for meningococcal disease. Similarly, the federal Minister for Health and Ageing issued a statement earlier this year urging the New South Wales government to implement the roll-out as soon as possible to protect the lives of children at risk. Unfortunately, the New South Wales government did not act. Victorian students were treated with the national vaccine on schedule earlier this year before the peak season for meningococcal began. In June 2003 around 400,000 doses of meningococcal C vaccine had already been distributed in that state. [start page 19107]

In June this year the federal health minister highlighted the difference in performance between states, saying:
“Victoria's rollout is a far cry from New South Wales where I understand there has been little evidence of action. This is of great concern given the annual peak meningococcal season starts in winter”

Two months later, only a handful of schools on the Central Coast have students who have been vaccinated. The Central Coast Area Health Service says students in all schools will be vaccinated by the end of the year. The Central Coast Area Health Service was due to start vaccinations at Terrigal High School on 27 August. That is almost the end of the peak season. Now, after three cases of meningococcal disease from that high school, they have brought the vaccination start date forward to 24 August. That is absolutely ridiculous. The slow response in New South Wales to this life-threatening disease has sparked much concern from my constituents. In the last week I have received daily phone calls from residents concerned for the safety of their children. Oral antibiotics have since been given to all year 9 students at Terrigal High School to help prevent the disease developing further.

Meningococcal disease can strike without warning. It can be extremely difficult to diagnose, yet in its early stages it can be stopped. In the winters of 2001 and 2002 too many families on the Central Coast lost their children to this disease. The Central Coast has rates of meningococcal which are amongst the highest in Australia. The Central Coast accounts for three per cent of the population of New South Wales and has approximately 15 per cent of the state's meningococcal infections. Yet the New South Wales government cannot be prompt with their vaccinations. They do not take this issue seriously. My question to the New South Wales health minister is: how many more children must die in my electorate before you deem the situation serious enough to warrant immediate action? How many children must be savagely scarred or lose their limbs before you take notice? Central Coast area health authority efforts in dealing with meningococcal have also been limited in terms of the release of information about the disease, including infection rates and new cases. It is ironic that the New South Wales government have been complacent about the two factors of awareness and vaccination. (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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