The federal government has more than doubled funding to combat the syphilis outbreak in northern, central and southern Australia, with a further $12.4 million to extend and sustain instant testing and treatment in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
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Minister for Indigenous Health Ken Wyatt said the Point Of Care Test and Treat model had already been successfully rolled out to eight Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services across Townsville, Cairns, Darwin, the Katherine region, East Arnhem Land and the Kimberley.
“So far, almost 120 local health professionals have been trained to use the test kits and more than 4000 people have been tested by health services funded by Phases One and Two of the program, with the immediate diagnosis and treatment promising a critical breakthrough in curbing the spread of the disease,” Mr Wyatt said.
“This funding boost will mean more Test and Treat services will be deployed in Phase Three - across the Northern Territory, Western Australia and South Australia.”
Katherine has one of the highest rates of syphilis in the country with more than 70 syphilis notifications in 2017.
Mr Wyatt said it included a $1 million fund to allow for rapid responses in any other areas where an emerging syphilis outbreak is detected.
“We are making progress but the fact that this preventable and treatable yet deadly disease is rampant in some First Nations communities is a tragedy that should never have been allowed to happen,” he said.
“Since the commencement of the syphilis outbreak in 2011, there have been approximately 2400 cases of infectious syphilis and 15 congenital syphilis cases in northern and central Australia. Seven young deaths have occurred and this is absolutely unacceptable.”
Mr Wyatt has urged states and territories to increase their commitment at a local level.
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Derek Barry
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
