❓ The WA government has committed resources to combat rising syphilis rates in remote WA, with dedicated funding allocated from 2019/20 to 2021/22. The response includes increased testing during pregnancy and a review of the Syphilis Action Plan.
AnsweredQoN 469Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the
ABC News Article of 7 November 2021 titled “Health workers struggle to stay on top
of rising syphilis rates in remote WA”, and I ask: (a) has the State Government committed extra resources to combat the rising
syphilis rates in remote Western Australia; (b) if no to (a), why not; (c) if yes to (a), what has been committed and what has been spent to date; (d) will the Minister please table any information relating to the government's plans to combat
the rising syphilis rates in remote Western Australia; and (e) what has been spent in each of the following periods to combat the
rising syphilis rates in Western Australia and on what programs: (i) 2021-22 to date; (ii) 2020-21; (iii) 2019-20; (iv) 2018-19; and (v) 2017-18?
ABC News Article of 7 November 2021 titled “Health workers struggle to stay on top
of rising syphilis rates in remote WA”, and I ask: (a) has the State Government committed extra resources to combat the rising
syphilis rates in remote Western Australia; (b) if no to (a), why not; (c) if yes to (a), what has been committed and what has been spent to date; (d) will the Minister please table any information relating to the government's plans to combat
the rising syphilis rates in remote Western Australia; and (e) what has been spent in each of the following periods to combat the
rising syphilis rates in Western Australia and on what programs: (i) 2021-22 to date; (ii) 2020-21; (iii) 2019-20; (iv) 2018-19; and (v) 2017-18?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
22 February 2022
Responded by
Minister representing the Minister for Health
Response time
5 days
(a) Yes.
(b) Not applicable.
(c) $4,928,000 of dedicated funding has been committed to the Western Australia (WA) syphilis response for 3 financial years, from 2019/20 to 2021/22. This funding is additional to recurring funds targeted at sexually transmissible infection and blood-borne virus prevention and control across the state.
(d) A list of programs and activities can be found in the WA Syphilis Outbreak Response Action Plan. Since commencement of the implementation of the Syphilis Action Plan, the frequency of testing for syphilis during pregnancy has been strengthened in response to the rise in number on congenital syphilis cases. Three syphilis tests during pregnancy are now recommended for all women, in addition to the five tests recommended for pregnant women in the Kimberley, Pilbara and Goldfields regions. This Plan will be reviewed and updated in 2022 to ensure contemporary strategic direction.
(e) (i) – (v)
The following table outlines the funding expended on the state-wide syphilis response. This is inclusive of recurrent core funding for broader communicable disease control and dedicated syphilis funding.
Activities
(i)
2021 – 2022
(to Dec 2021)
(ii)
2020-2021
(iii)
2019-2020
(iv)
2018-2019
(v)
2017-2018
Prevention, education and community engagement
$45,000
$640,000
$470,000
$470,000
$450,000
Workforce development
$100,000
$85,000
$165,000
$145,000
$160,000
Testing, treatment and contact tracing
$165,000
$315,000
$185,000
$45,000
$30,000
Surveillance and reporting
$70,000
$60,000
$110,000
$20,000
$30,000
Community based grant funding
$250,000
$1,685,000
$350,000
$460,000
$395,000
WACHS
$644,304 (YTD figure to 30 Nov 2021)
$1,478,848
$532,857
-
-
TOTAL
$1,274,304
$4,263,848
$1,812,857
$1,140,000
$1,065,000
(b) Not applicable.
(c) $4,928,000 of dedicated funding has been committed to the Western Australia (WA) syphilis response for 3 financial years, from 2019/20 to 2021/22. This funding is additional to recurring funds targeted at sexually transmissible infection and blood-borne virus prevention and control across the state.
(d) A list of programs and activities can be found in the WA Syphilis Outbreak Response Action Plan. Since commencement of the implementation of the Syphilis Action Plan, the frequency of testing for syphilis during pregnancy has been strengthened in response to the rise in number on congenital syphilis cases. Three syphilis tests during pregnancy are now recommended for all women, in addition to the five tests recommended for pregnant women in the Kimberley, Pilbara and Goldfields regions. This Plan will be reviewed and updated in 2022 to ensure contemporary strategic direction.
(e) (i) – (v)
The following table outlines the funding expended on the state-wide syphilis response. This is inclusive of recurrent core funding for broader communicable disease control and dedicated syphilis funding.
Activities
(i)
2021 – 2022
(to Dec 2021)
(ii)
2020-2021
(iii)
2019-2020
(iv)
2018-2019
(v)
2017-2018
Prevention, education and community engagement
$45,000
$640,000
$470,000
$470,000
$450,000
Workforce development
$100,000
$85,000
$165,000
$145,000
$160,000
Testing, treatment and contact tracing
$165,000
$315,000
$185,000
$45,000
$30,000
Surveillance and reporting
$70,000
$60,000
$110,000
$20,000
$30,000
Community based grant funding
$250,000
$1,685,000
$350,000
$460,000
$395,000
WACHS
$644,304 (YTD figure to 30 Nov 2021)
$1,478,848
$532,857
-
-
TOTAL
$1,274,304
$4,263,848
$1,812,857
$1,140,000
$1,065,000
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