❓ Question regarding WA's preparedness for Ebola, answered by the Minister for Health outlining measures in place and international coordination efforts. Speaker requests brevity.
AnsweredQoN 795Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
EBOLA VIRUS
795. Mr C.D. HATTON to the Minister for Health:
There is ongoing media coverage about the spread of the Ebola
virus. Can the minister update the house on what measures are in place —
Mr P. Papalia interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro! Repeat the question,
member.
Mr C.D. HATTON : There is ongoing media coverage about
the spread of the Ebola virus. Can the minister update the house on what
measures are in place to prevent the Ebola virus spreading to Western Australia
and how our health system will respond if a case is diagnosed?
795. Mr C.D. HATTON to the Minister for Health:
There is ongoing media coverage about the spread of the Ebola
virus. Can the minister update the house on what measures are in place —
Mr P. Papalia interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro! Repeat the question,
member.
Mr C.D. HATTON : There is ongoing media coverage about
the spread of the Ebola virus. Can the minister update the house on what
measures are in place to prevent the Ebola virus spreading to Western Australia
and how our health system will respond if a case is diagnosed?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question,
and I take this opportunity to update the house on a briefing I received, along
with all the other state health ministers, from the commonwealth Chief Medical
Officer, Professor Chris Baggoley, about the international and Australian
efforts in guarding against the spread of Ebola. There have been outbreaks of
Ebola over a long period of time, but in the past it has always been confined
to countries within the continent of Africa. The latest outbreak of the Ebola
virus is the most widespread we have ever seen, and there is extreme concern that
it may spread to Western Australia. Our chief medical officers and all health
officers in our state are working very hard to make sure that all the necessary
protocols are in place.
To provide members with a bit of background on Ebola, it is
what is known as a viral haemorrhagic fever; the virus causes a breakdown of
blood cells and haemorrhage.
Mr Speaker, I only just started!
The SPEAKER : I know. Just give us the short version,
please!
Dr K.D. HAMES : Well may you say that, Mr Speaker, but
a lot of these people are coming from Africa to visit. I do not know whether
any of them might be coming to visit you —
The SPEAKER : I came back
yesterday, minister!
Dr K.D. HAMES : — but
it is very important to know what Ebola does.
The critical thing is that it is
very difficult to contract the Ebola virus; it has to be through close body
contact, so the most at-risk are family members and health staff looking after
affected patients. It cannot be caught in the very early stages, when the virus
is still spreading throughout the body; there have to be active symptoms, such
as fever, before it is spreadable. In fact, the further one gets into the
illness, the more likely one is of spreading the disease. It is a very
dangerous virus in that about 50 per cent of people who catch it will die. I
hope I am not noticing a sore throat on your part, Mr Speaker!
We have done things in the past that
have helped, largely around the SARS virus. Through the Department of Health in
the time of the previous Labor governments, 2000–2008, the Royal Flying
Doctor Service had some pods created that allow for isolated transport within
planes. There are two of them. Originally they were both in Western Australia
but we recently loaned one to Queensland. In the end, Queensland did not need
it, but that is where the second one presently is. St John Ambulance also has
special vehicles for transporting patients in isolation to prevent the spread
of disease.
In respect of the letter written to
me by the member for Mirrabooka, I raised with Professor Baggoley the question
of why we were not doing more individually overseas, and his response was that
that had been discussed at the international forum and the request was largely
for support from people who are already available to do that work. They did not
want lots of people from other countries going over there.
Ms J.M. Freeman interjected.
Dr K.D. HAMES : I am just
telling the member what I did and what the answer was; that was the answer. I
will not refer to the member's good letter anymore; she has done it
now!
This is something that is of
international concern and we certainly have lots of doctors and health staff
who would be prepared to go, but the request for now is that we do not do that
and that we provide financial support and coordination support, which is what
we are doing.
and I take this opportunity to update the house on a briefing I received, along
with all the other state health ministers, from the commonwealth Chief Medical
Officer, Professor Chris Baggoley, about the international and Australian
efforts in guarding against the spread of Ebola. There have been outbreaks of
Ebola over a long period of time, but in the past it has always been confined
to countries within the continent of Africa. The latest outbreak of the Ebola
virus is the most widespread we have ever seen, and there is extreme concern that
it may spread to Western Australia. Our chief medical officers and all health
officers in our state are working very hard to make sure that all the necessary
protocols are in place.
To provide members with a bit of background on Ebola, it is
what is known as a viral haemorrhagic fever; the virus causes a breakdown of
blood cells and haemorrhage.
Mr Speaker, I only just started!
The SPEAKER : I know. Just give us the short version,
please!
Dr K.D. HAMES : Well may you say that, Mr Speaker, but
a lot of these people are coming from Africa to visit. I do not know whether
any of them might be coming to visit you —
The SPEAKER : I came back
yesterday, minister!
Dr K.D. HAMES : — but
it is very important to know what Ebola does.
The critical thing is that it is
very difficult to contract the Ebola virus; it has to be through close body
contact, so the most at-risk are family members and health staff looking after
affected patients. It cannot be caught in the very early stages, when the virus
is still spreading throughout the body; there have to be active symptoms, such
as fever, before it is spreadable. In fact, the further one gets into the
illness, the more likely one is of spreading the disease. It is a very
dangerous virus in that about 50 per cent of people who catch it will die. I
hope I am not noticing a sore throat on your part, Mr Speaker!
We have done things in the past that
have helped, largely around the SARS virus. Through the Department of Health in
the time of the previous Labor governments, 2000–2008, the Royal Flying
Doctor Service had some pods created that allow for isolated transport within
planes. There are two of them. Originally they were both in Western Australia
but we recently loaned one to Queensland. In the end, Queensland did not need
it, but that is where the second one presently is. St John Ambulance also has
special vehicles for transporting patients in isolation to prevent the spread
of disease.
In respect of the letter written to
me by the member for Mirrabooka, I raised with Professor Baggoley the question
of why we were not doing more individually overseas, and his response was that
that had been discussed at the international forum and the request was largely
for support from people who are already available to do that work. They did not
want lots of people from other countries going over there.
Ms J.M. Freeman interjected.
Dr K.D. HAMES : I am just
telling the member what I did and what the answer was; that was the answer. I
will not refer to the member's good letter anymore; she has done it
now!
This is something that is of
international concern and we certainly have lots of doctors and health staff
who would be prepared to go, but the request for now is that we do not do that
and that we provide financial support and coordination support, which is what
we are doing.
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