PLANS FOR QLD FOR PANDEMIC FLU FIGHT & EXTRA FUNDS
Published Friday, 20 October, 2006 at 08:05 AM
Premier and Minister for Trade
The Honourable Peter Beattie
Premier Peter Beattie today released plans to support Queenslanders prepare for a flu pandemic, including the allocation of extra funding to stockpile frontline resources.
Mr Beattie released the Queensland Government’s Action Plan for Pandemic Influenza and the Business Continuity Planning Notes, and announced an extra $11.7 million to equip state disaster and health staff.
“With an increasing number of avian flu outbreaks around the world there has been rising community concern and growing media interest in the potential threat the flu pandemic will pose to human health,” Mr Beattie said.
“We’re meeting the challenge head on with this detailed whole-of-government response and backing it up with additional funding to provide extra resources for those key staff who will need support on the frontline,” he said.
“Importantly, these documents complement very detailed planning already developed by our high-level inter-departmental Queensland taskforce and agencies and, together, these all form whole-of-government preparations on an unprecedented scale.
“There are plans and processes outlining the roles and responsibilities of key agencies and, importantly, what the community can do to prepare. This includes both government and non-government sectors, along with Queensland businesses, industry and individuals.”
Mr Beattie said the extra $11.7 million was new money and would be spent on a range of items including disposable stretcher covers as well as pathology reagents to enhance lab testing for an infection of this potential scale.
Queensland Health will receive $6.5 million to:
• stockpile and fit-test personal protective equipment for health staff, including 2.25 million specialised infection control masks;
• stockpile pathology reagents to enable rapid lab confirmation of pandemic influenza infection.
The Department of Emergency Services will spend $4 million to:
• stockpile and fit-test personal protective equipment for paramedics and fire and rescue officers, including air purifying respirator masks;
• buy infection control and patient-care consumables (eg stretcher covers, waste bags).
The Queensland Police Service, the Department of Primary Industries & Fisheries, and the Department of Public Works will spend $1.15 million on personal protective equipment for frontline staff.
In addition to the $11.7 million package, the Queensland Ambulance Service will also receive $317,000 in recurrent funding for additional stockpiling of protective equipment.
Mr Beattie said the State Government’s extensive and ongoing planning demonstrated how seriously it has taken preparations to cope with a flu pandemic.
Already Queensland has its own stockpile of 30,800 courses of anti-viral drugs to combat a local influenza outbreak ahead of any release from the national anti-viral stockpile.
This week Brisbane also hosted the world’s largest pandemic influenza simulation exercise to test Australia’s response to the potential flu pandemic.
“We have the legislative powers in place to respond to such public health emergencies as we demonstrated this week with our national partners during Exercise Cumpston,” Mr Beattie said.
State Parliament passed the Public Health Act 2005 to enhance Queensland’s response to an influenza pandemic by clarifying and strengthening public health powers.
“All of these measures – this week’s exercise, the plans, new funding and legislation –make Queensland much better prepared to deal with a pandemic influenza,” said the Premier.
“I urge Queenslanders and businesses to familiarise themselves with information and put in place strategies to cope and continue business should a flu pandemic strike.”
The Action Plan and Business Continuity Planning Notes are available on the Queensland Government website at www.qld.gov.au.
/ends
Friday, October 20, 2006
MEDIA CONTACTS: Premier’s Office 3224 4500
Mr Beattie released the Queensland Government’s Action Plan for Pandemic Influenza and the Business Continuity Planning Notes, and announced an extra $11.7 million to equip state disaster and health staff.
“With an increasing number of avian flu outbreaks around the world there has been rising community concern and growing media interest in the potential threat the flu pandemic will pose to human health,” Mr Beattie said.
“We’re meeting the challenge head on with this detailed whole-of-government response and backing it up with additional funding to provide extra resources for those key staff who will need support on the frontline,” he said.
“Importantly, these documents complement very detailed planning already developed by our high-level inter-departmental Queensland taskforce and agencies and, together, these all form whole-of-government preparations on an unprecedented scale.
“There are plans and processes outlining the roles and responsibilities of key agencies and, importantly, what the community can do to prepare. This includes both government and non-government sectors, along with Queensland businesses, industry and individuals.”
Mr Beattie said the extra $11.7 million was new money and would be spent on a range of items including disposable stretcher covers as well as pathology reagents to enhance lab testing for an infection of this potential scale.
Queensland Health will receive $6.5 million to:
• stockpile and fit-test personal protective equipment for health staff, including 2.25 million specialised infection control masks;
• stockpile pathology reagents to enable rapid lab confirmation of pandemic influenza infection.
The Department of Emergency Services will spend $4 million to:
• stockpile and fit-test personal protective equipment for paramedics and fire and rescue officers, including air purifying respirator masks;
• buy infection control and patient-care consumables (eg stretcher covers, waste bags).
The Queensland Police Service, the Department of Primary Industries & Fisheries, and the Department of Public Works will spend $1.15 million on personal protective equipment for frontline staff.
In addition to the $11.7 million package, the Queensland Ambulance Service will also receive $317,000 in recurrent funding for additional stockpiling of protective equipment.
Mr Beattie said the State Government’s extensive and ongoing planning demonstrated how seriously it has taken preparations to cope with a flu pandemic.
Already Queensland has its own stockpile of 30,800 courses of anti-viral drugs to combat a local influenza outbreak ahead of any release from the national anti-viral stockpile.
This week Brisbane also hosted the world’s largest pandemic influenza simulation exercise to test Australia’s response to the potential flu pandemic.
“We have the legislative powers in place to respond to such public health emergencies as we demonstrated this week with our national partners during Exercise Cumpston,” Mr Beattie said.
State Parliament passed the Public Health Act 2005 to enhance Queensland’s response to an influenza pandemic by clarifying and strengthening public health powers.
“All of these measures – this week’s exercise, the plans, new funding and legislation –make Queensland much better prepared to deal with a pandemic influenza,” said the Premier.
“I urge Queenslanders and businesses to familiarise themselves with information and put in place strategies to cope and continue business should a flu pandemic strike.”
The Action Plan and Business Continuity Planning Notes are available on the Queensland Government website at www.qld.gov.au.
/ends
Friday, October 20, 2006
MEDIA CONTACTS: Premier’s Office 3224 4500