❓ The Minister for Health provides an update on the donation of decommissioned medical equipment and vital supplies from WA hospitals to African communities through the Global Health Alliance WA program. The program is facilitated by hospital redevelopments and supported by WA health staff volunteering their time.
AnsweredQoN 638Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
HEALTH — DECOMMISSIONED MEDICAL EQUIPMENT —
AFRICA
638. Mr M.H. TAYLOR to the Minister for
Health:
Can the minister please update the house on the decommissioned medical
equipment and vital supplies from our hospitals that are benefiting African
communities?
AFRICA
638. Mr M.H. TAYLOR to the Minister for
Health:
Can the minister please update the house on the decommissioned medical
equipment and vital supplies from our hospitals that are benefiting African
communities?
AnswerView source ↗
Not only is this
government doing outstanding things here in Western Australia, but also we are
very keen to assist internationally in developing countries where we can. It is
the case that since 2010, Western Australian hospitals have donated thousands
of items of medical equipment to African countries, including Tanzania, Kenya,
Zambia, Sudan, Ethiopia and Somaliland. This has been done through the
Department of Health's Global Health Alliance WA program, which has
coordinated the donation of equipment that is assisting hospitals and people in
less privileged nations to deliver and improve their basic healthcare services.
This has been a program of a lot of interest to the Premier and also my
predecessor, the member for Dawesville, both of whom have visited Zambia—in
the case of the Premier, in 2014, and in the case of the previous Minister for
Health, in 2015. Only a couple of months ago, Hon Helen Morton also visited the main hospital in the
capital of Zambia, Lusaka, to see how this donated equipment is making such a difference.
Items that have been donated include crutches, dressing trolleys, hospital
beds, neonatal incubators and operating tables, which would be worth millions
of dollars if purchased new.
This program for the
donation of equipment has been made possible as a result of the $7 billion
redevelopment of the Western Australian hospital system by this government. The
fact that much new equipment is being acquired, including for the Perth
Children's Hospital, Fiona Stanley Hospital and Midland Public
Hospital, has meant that a lot of equipment—for example, from Swan
District Hospital and Princess Margaret Hospital for Children when it is
decommissioned—is able to be made available to assist in this
international effort. In this context, prior to opening the Africa Down Under
conference yesterday, the Premier visited Princess Margaret Hospital for
Children with the Zambian High Commissioner, Mr George Zulu, and showed him the
electrocardiograph machine that will be one of a number of items that will be
shipped to Zambia, neighbouring countries and non-government organisations when
PMH is decommissioned. I understand that this made the news on Zambian
television last night. I have not seen it as yet, but it is certainly spreading
the good work that is being done in Western Australia through our health system
and under the leadership of the Premier to assist internationally in this very
important way.
It is also important
to appreciate that through the Global Health Alliance WA program there is an
international effort to provide a boost to capacity of the local nursing and
midwifery workforce in Tanzania, for example. Courses are delivered by Western Australian
nurses and midwives on a voluntary basis via the community service leave
provision, which allows Western Australian health staff to take a period of
paid level to perform charitable community work. So far, 178 clinicians have
used the community service leave to volunteer in developing countries,
including with the Australian Doctors for Africa organisation. I also make
reference to the organisation Health Hope Zambia, which is very much involved
in receiving the equipment that is being donated by Western Australia. I congratulate
everybody who has played a role in this program, including the Premier, my
predecessor the member for Dawesville, and all the staff in the Western Australian
health system who are making this very important contribution to improving
health care in Africa.
government doing outstanding things here in Western Australia, but also we are
very keen to assist internationally in developing countries where we can. It is
the case that since 2010, Western Australian hospitals have donated thousands
of items of medical equipment to African countries, including Tanzania, Kenya,
Zambia, Sudan, Ethiopia and Somaliland. This has been done through the
Department of Health's Global Health Alliance WA program, which has
coordinated the donation of equipment that is assisting hospitals and people in
less privileged nations to deliver and improve their basic healthcare services.
This has been a program of a lot of interest to the Premier and also my
predecessor, the member for Dawesville, both of whom have visited Zambia—in
the case of the Premier, in 2014, and in the case of the previous Minister for
Health, in 2015. Only a couple of months ago, Hon Helen Morton also visited the main hospital in the
capital of Zambia, Lusaka, to see how this donated equipment is making such a difference.
Items that have been donated include crutches, dressing trolleys, hospital
beds, neonatal incubators and operating tables, which would be worth millions
of dollars if purchased new.
This program for the
donation of equipment has been made possible as a result of the $7 billion
redevelopment of the Western Australian hospital system by this government. The
fact that much new equipment is being acquired, including for the Perth
Children's Hospital, Fiona Stanley Hospital and Midland Public
Hospital, has meant that a lot of equipment—for example, from Swan
District Hospital and Princess Margaret Hospital for Children when it is
decommissioned—is able to be made available to assist in this
international effort. In this context, prior to opening the Africa Down Under
conference yesterday, the Premier visited Princess Margaret Hospital for
Children with the Zambian High Commissioner, Mr George Zulu, and showed him the
electrocardiograph machine that will be one of a number of items that will be
shipped to Zambia, neighbouring countries and non-government organisations when
PMH is decommissioned. I understand that this made the news on Zambian
television last night. I have not seen it as yet, but it is certainly spreading
the good work that is being done in Western Australia through our health system
and under the leadership of the Premier to assist internationally in this very
important way.
It is also important
to appreciate that through the Global Health Alliance WA program there is an
international effort to provide a boost to capacity of the local nursing and
midwifery workforce in Tanzania, for example. Courses are delivered by Western Australian
nurses and midwives on a voluntary basis via the community service leave
provision, which allows Western Australian health staff to take a period of
paid level to perform charitable community work. So far, 178 clinicians have
used the community service leave to volunteer in developing countries,
including with the Australian Doctors for Africa organisation. I also make
reference to the organisation Health Hope Zambia, which is very much involved
in receiving the equipment that is being donated by Western Australia. I congratulate
everybody who has played a role in this program, including the Premier, my
predecessor the member for Dawesville, and all the staff in the Western Australian
health system who are making this very important contribution to improving
health care in Africa.
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