❓ A parliamentary question regarding communicable disease management in the Kimberley region, specifically concerning leprosy and tuberculosis, and the deployment of a nurse to the area. The Minister denies any outbreaks.
AnsweredQoN 231Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
COMMUNICABLE
DISEASES NURSE — KIMBERLEY
231. Hon SALLY TALBOT to the
parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Health:
(1) Can the
minister confirm that a communicable diseases nurse has recently been sent from
Perth to the Kimberley; and, if so, where is this nurse located?
(2) Can the
minister confirm that there is an outbreak of Hansen's disease—leprosy—and
tuberculosis in the area where the nurse has been sent?
(3) Can the
minister confirm that there has been no contact tracing for leprosy since 2012;
and, if not, what is the current procedure for detecting leprosy?
(4) If yes to (1) and no to (2), why has the nurse been sent
to the Kimberley?
(5) What action is the minister taking to ensure these
outbreaks are dealt with?
DISEASES NURSE — KIMBERLEY
231. Hon SALLY TALBOT to the
parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Health:
(1) Can the
minister confirm that a communicable diseases nurse has recently been sent from
Perth to the Kimberley; and, if so, where is this nurse located?
(2) Can the
minister confirm that there is an outbreak of Hansen's disease—leprosy—and
tuberculosis in the area where the nurse has been sent?
(3) Can the
minister confirm that there has been no contact tracing for leprosy since 2012;
and, if not, what is the current procedure for detecting leprosy?
(4) If yes to (1) and no to (2), why has the nurse been sent
to the Kimberley?
(5) What action is the minister taking to ensure these
outbreaks are dealt with?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for some notice of this
question.
(1) Yes. The
nurse was located in Broome for the period of 4 May 2015 to 11 October 2015 and
travelled extensively throughout the Kimberley region.
(2) There is no outbreak of Hansen's disease or
tuberculosis in the Kimberley.
(3) There has
been continued contact tracing for Hansen's disease in the Kimberley.
Although there is no current outbreak, Hansen's disease has had a presence
in the Kimberley for many years. In the last six years, four cases of Hansen's
disease have been acquired in the Kimberley.
(4) The
Kimberley has a dispersed population and dispersed primary health workforce.
Current tuberculosis cases have required extensive contact tracing across the
region. The nurse has assisted with complex contact tracing in the Dampier
Peninsula, Derby and surrounding Gibb River Road communities within the Fitzroy
Valley and Halls Creek.
(5) Nil. There are no current outbreaks of these diseases in
the Kimberley.
question.
(1) Yes. The
nurse was located in Broome for the period of 4 May 2015 to 11 October 2015 and
travelled extensively throughout the Kimberley region.
(2) There is no outbreak of Hansen's disease or
tuberculosis in the Kimberley.
(3) There has
been continued contact tracing for Hansen's disease in the Kimberley.
Although there is no current outbreak, Hansen's disease has had a presence
in the Kimberley for many years. In the last six years, four cases of Hansen's
disease have been acquired in the Kimberley.
(4) The
Kimberley has a dispersed population and dispersed primary health workforce.
Current tuberculosis cases have required extensive contact tracing across the
region. The nurse has assisted with complex contact tracing in the Dampier
Peninsula, Derby and surrounding Gibb River Road communities within the Fitzroy
Valley and Halls Creek.
(5) Nil. There are no current outbreaks of these diseases in
the Kimberley.
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