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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-09-22 Daily Xml
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SWINE FLU VACCINATIONS

The Hon. J.D. HILL (Kaurna—Minister for Health, Minister for the Southern Suburbs, Minister Assisting the Premier in the Arts) (14:44): I seek leave to make a ministerial statement.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.D. HILL: Today I can announce that the first batch of vaccine packs to guard against the H1N1 influenza virus have been delivered from the Commonwealth Serum Laboratory (CSL) to SA Health, triggering the start of a national immunisation campaign to fight swine flu. Those packs will be delivered to GPs and hospitals, starting tomorrow. This campaign, which will begin across Australia from 30 September, will protect the most vulnerable in our community. H1N1, or swine flu, has caused severe illness in specific groups since it emerged in Australia in May this year.

Australia's public health officials advise that people with chronic illness, immune suppression, respiratory or cardiac conditions, pregnant women, indigenous people and young children appear to be the most at risk to be affected by this flu and, indeed, people with a body mass index of 35 and above have also been vulnerable. These groups, along with parents of babies aged less than six months, will be the first to be offered the vaccine.

Our front-line health workers who face the risk of this disease on a daily basis and who could transmit it to their patients will also be provided with immunisation through this campaign. Remote Aboriginal communities across the state will be the first locations to be sent supplies of the vaccine when distribution starts tomorrow.

For the vast majority of people, swine flu has been no more serious than a normal flu, and our current data from across metropolitan public hospitals suggests that swine flu cases are on the decline, but today we have had sobering news, which emphasises just how important it is for the vaccination campaign to get underway immediately. Sadly, SA Health's latest weekly report, released today, includes five more deaths of people with swine flu that have been reported. The Coroner has made SA Health aware of three of those people who died at home suffering from other chronic illnesses. A fourth person died at Flinders Medical Centre; that person was also suffering from another life threatening illness. A fifth person died at Lyell McEwin, and that person was also suffering from underlying medical conditions.

In total, 25 South Australia have died with swine flu, the vast majority already suffering from chronic or life threatening illness. I extend my deepest sympathy to those families that have lost loved ones affected by swine flu. It must be a tragic added burden for families already coping with their loved one suffering from an existing serious illness. A total of 8,836 South Australians have tested positive for swine flu, with the vast majority of these people recovering well.

A number of these people have had to be nursed through their illnesses in our hospitals, adding pressure to our already busy health system. Since the first cases in South Australia, 520 hospital patients with swine flu have been treated. Some of these people have been nursed in the specialist intensive care units across our metropolitan hospitals. Currently, 21 patients who have contracted swine flu are in hospital, including 10 patients who are in intensive care units.

I thank our very skilful doctors, nurses and other staff who have worked so very hard to care for these people and help them recover. The commitment of hospital staff has been inspiring. Of course, our general practitioners are also on the health front line and work very hard as well in combating this flu and protecting our community, as have our public health officials.

Today we have excellent news about the rollout of the Panvax H1N1 vaccine to protect South Australians with its delivery to SA Health. South Australia has played a very important role in the development of this vaccine. Australian pharmaceutical company CSL tested the vaccine in our state as part of its international medical trials. Up to 240 South Australians were recruited for the testing, conducted through the Royal Adelaide Hospital, with the results determining the federal approval for the rollout.

Last week the Therapeutic Goods Administration, the commonwealth's medicines regulator, approved the vaccine for use in adults and in children 10 years and older. The results from the South Australian trial were also used as part of CSL's approval process from the US Food and Drug Administration. It is expected to be available for children after the age of 10 after results of trials in children are available next month and the TGA has considered the results of those trials.

The vaccine will be arriving at GP clinics across the state in time for a 30 September commencement. People in the vulnerable groups and health care workers can contact their GP for advice on when they can access a vaccination. As well, the state government is setting up public H1N1 immunisation clinics across the state, in cooperation with local government.

Today I can also announce the first finalised public clinic locations. These are in the public halls in Windsor Gardens, Enfield, Kilburn, Mansfield Park, Ottoway, Port Adelaide and Le Fevre; adjacent to the current community immunisation clinics in Prospect, Payneham, Burnside, St Peters, Adelaide, Rostrevor, Walkerville, Munno Para, Elizabeth and Tea Tree Gully; and in Country Health community health services at Coober Pedy, Ceduna, Elliston, Mount Gambier, Port Pirie, Burra, Cleve, Roxby Downs, Millicent, Penola, Naracoorte, Kingscote and Yorketown.

Clinics will start, as I said, from 30 September. There will be further clinic locations announced in coming days. Meanwhile, South Australians can get more information on the vaccine from the national Swine Flu Hotline on 180 2007 or from www.flu.sa.gov.au.

Our state has an allocation of 1.4 million doses through this campaign. There are sufficient doses in Australia for every Australian who wants one to receive a dose, with an expected 440,000 South Australians in the vulnerable groups expected to access the vaccine over coming months. As I say, the total number of vaccines will allow for the vaccination over time of every adult who wants to be vaccinated.

While the TGA has not yet approved the vaccine for use in children nine years of age and younger, when it does South Australia will be ready for the immunisation of children as well. The public vaccination clinics will be funded by the state government with about $1.6 million being allocated to this very important campaign that will protect our most vulnerable South Australians.

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