media releases

DOCTORS REFORM SOCIETY

Australia Lags in Ebola Response Could Cost Us Dearly in Longterm

The Doctors Reform Society joined the calls from the AMA and the NSW Nurses Association for Australia to increase its role in the Global response to the increasing Ebola epidemic.  The aid agency Oxfam today warned Ebola could become the “definitive humanitarian disaster of our generation” if more is not done to halt the spread of the virus.

Oxfam, which works in the two worst-hit countries – Liberia and Sierra Leone – on Saturday called for more troops, funding and medical staff to be sent to tackle the west African epicentre of the epidemic and chief executive Mark Goldring warned that the world was “in the eye of a storm”

“The Doctors Reform Society National Conference held in Sydney on Saturday 17 October, noted the federal governments concern about sending doctors and nurses to help fight the Ebola epidemic in West Africa and the relatively small contribution to the international effort of $18 million. Some of these concerns are valid said Dr Costa, National president of the Doctors Reform Society’ but we are worried about a lack of transparency and relative inertia compared to the Abbott government’s aggressive position on international affairs to date.  Especially a lack of information on Australia’s preparedness and our part in the global response – including whether past cutbacks to the public health system and customs and immigration has increased Australia’s vulnerability to any future international spread of the disease.

Given that the Ebola outbreak is rapidly reaching a new stage, and the importance of containment ie at the current rate of spread we could be looking at over 1 million infected and a fatality rate of over 70% by January 2015 ie an exponential growth in new cases predicted if no well organised and well funded early response as is being called for by the UN/ WHO, President Obama of the USA and PM Cameron of Great Britain:

The Doctors Reform National Conference resolved to put to the Health minister, Mr Dutton and The PM Mr Abbott the following questions: 

1.  What measures are being looked at by the Australian Government to support Australian doctors and nurses going to West Africa – either as part of an Australian health team or embedded in international teams – given that early containment of the disease is the only realistic, practical, humane and affordable strategy in fighting Ebola?  Are less risky, but equally important support  alternatives, being also considered as part of our global response – including sending public health workers, engineers and military teams to assist with infrastructure in West Africa?

 2.  Will the government make public the discussions it is having with the WHO and the CDC and what is being discussed in regards to Australia’s contribution to the fight against Ebola?
 

3.  What steps are being taken by the federal government to boost Australia’s public health system to increase Australia’s preparedness should the disease enter a new phase ie spreading internationally?

 

Dr Con Costa    Dr Tim Woodruff  

President   Vice President      

Doctors Reform Society      Ph 0401042619

Ph 0418400309

 

 

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