DOCSLIB.ORG

A Critical Analysis of the Australian Government's Rationale for Its

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
A Critical Analysis of the Australian Government's Rationale for Its University of Wollongong Research Online University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 1954-2016 University of Wollongong Thesis Collections 2015 A critical analysis of the Australian government’s rationale for its vaccination policy Judy Wilyman University of Wollongong Follow this and additional works at: https://ro.uow.edu.au/theses University of Wollongong Copyright Warning You may print or download ONE copy of this document for the purpose of your own research or study. The University does not authorise you to copy, communicate or otherwise make available electronically to any other person any copyright material contained on this site. You are reminded of the following: This work is copyright. Apart from any use permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part of this work may be reproduced by any process, nor may any other exclusive right be exercised, without the permission of the author. Copyright owners are entitled to take legal action against persons who infringe their copyright. A reproduction of material that is protected by copyright may be a copyright infringement. A court may impose penalties and award damages in relation to offences and infringements relating to copyright material. Higher penalties may apply, and higher damages may be awarded, for offences and infringements involving the conversion of material into digital or electronic form. Unless otherwise indicated, the views expressed in this thesis are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the University of Wollongong. Recommended Citation Wilyman, Judy, A critical analysis of the Australian government’s rationale for its vaccination policy, Doctor of Philosophy thesis, School of Humanities and Social Inquiry, University of Wollongong, 2015. https://ro.uow.edu.au/theses/4541 Research Online is the open access institutional repository for the University of Wollongong. For further information contact the UOW Library: [email protected] Faculty of Law, Humanities and the Arts School of Humanities and Social Inquiry A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT’S RATIONALE FOR ITS VACCINATION POLICY JUDY WILYMAN MSc BSc Dip Ed This thesis is presented in fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Wollongong September 2015 DECLARATION OF ORIGINALITY I, Judy Wilyman do hereby declare that this thesis contains no material which has been accepted for a degree or diploma by the University of Wollongong, or any other institution, except by way of background information and duly acknowledged in the thesis, and to the best of my knowledge and belief, no material previously published or written by another person except where due acknowledgement is made in the text. Signed, Judy Wilyman MSc BSc Dip. Ed. September 2015 ii STATEMENT OF AUTHORITY OF ACCESS This thesis may be made available for loan and limited copying in accordance with the Copyright Act of Australia 1968. Signed, Judy Wilyman MSc BSc Dip. Ed September 2015 iii Abstract Vaccination policies in Australia need to be scrutinised because the use of a medical intervention in the prevention of infectious disease has serious health and social implications. Deaths and illnesses to infectious diseases were significantly reduced due to environmental and lifestyle reforms prior to the widespread use of most vaccines in the mid-20th century. Mass vaccination campaigns were adopted after this time as the central management strategy for preventing infectious diseases, with many new vaccines being recommended in the National Immunisation Program (NIP). The implementation of mass vaccination programs occurred simultaneously with the development of partnerships between academic institutions and industry. The Australian government’s NIP, like all member countries of the World Health Organisation (WHO), is recommended by the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI). This is a partnership with the WHO and UNICEF that includes the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA), the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), the Rockefeller Foundation, the United Nations Development Fund (UNDF) and other private research institutions. All members of this public-private partnership influence the development of WHO global health policies. It is important that independent research is carried out to assess whether all the vaccines being recommended today are safe, effective and necessary for the protection of the community. It is also important to have comprehensive evidence that it is safe to combine multiple vaccines in the developing bodies of infants. The framework for undone science is used to analyse the Australian government’s claim that the benefits of vaccines far outweigh the risks. Whilst the government claims serious adverse events to vaccines are rare this is not supported by adequate scientific evidence due to the shortcomings in clinical trials and long- term surveillance of health outcomes of recipients. A close examination of the ‘Swine Flu’ 2009 vaccine and the vaccine for human papillomavirus (HPV), intended to prevent cervical cancer, shows shortcomings in the evidence base and rationale for the vaccines. This investigation demonstrates that not all vaccines have been demonstrated to be safe, effective or necessary. It also concludes that the government’s claim that the benefits of vaccines far outweigh the risks cannot be sustained due to the gaps in the scientific knowledge resulting from unfunded research and the inadequate monitoring of adverse events after vaccination. iv Acknowledgements I would like to thank my family - Ken, Alexandra, Callum and Scott - for supporting me throughout this thesis and for their understanding and love during the more difficult challenges that arose due to the controversial nature of this topic. I would also like to thank Professor Brian Martin, my primary supervisor at the University of Wollongong, for his unwavering support and encouragement. His weekly phone calls kept me focused and there were many robust discussions that helped me to overcome the significant opposition to this project. I thank him for his patience and dedication to my research. I would also like to thank my co-supervisor, Dr. Andrew Whelan, a senior lecturer at the University of Wollongong, for supporting my research and providing helpful comments on my thesis. There are other academics that have been fundamental to the completion of this thesis who prefer to remain anonymous and I am grateful for their expertise, direction and support. Thanks also to my friend and mentor Catherine Frompovich. Catherine is a health advocate in the US and author of several books. She has been untiring in her efforts to advocate on health issues and her support for my work has been invaluable I would like to acknowledge Dr. Lucija Tomljenovic and Dr. Chris Shaw from the University of British Columbia. Their support has been much appreciated in the publication of issues surrounding the implementation of HPV vaccines in national vaccination programs. I have also received helpful comments and support from Eva Vanamee, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, and Toni Bark, Boston University. Finally I would like to acknowledge the support I have received from my family, neighbours, and friends who have endured my endless discussions and demonstrated their support for the work I am doing. I thank my family and my friends Karen, Jacinta, Gabrielle, Nika, Cathy, Kerrie, Melanie, Georgina, Jacqui and many others for coming on this journey with me. Your support made a difference to my ability to complete this research. I would like to dedicate this thesis to my mother June Doyle for her inspiration and to the many parents/professionals who have shown courage and integrity in advocating for our rights in vaccination decisions for decades. v CONTENTS Declaration ii Authority of Access iii Abstract iv Acknowledgements v Table of Contents vi Publications in Support of this Thesis xiii Glossary xiv Abbreviations xviii Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1 Vaccination in Australia 1 1.2 Research 7 1.3 Thesis Structure 8 PART 1: SCIENCE AND POLICY Chapter 2 Controlling Infectious Diseases in Australia 2.1 Introduction 11 2.2 Defining Public Health and Environmental Health 12 2.3 The Control of Infectious Diseases 15 2.4 Developments in Public Health Policy in Australia 17 2.5 Immunological Theories 23 2.6 Australian Public Health Policy since 1950 30 2.7 The New Public Health Movement (1985-1995) 36 2.8 Measuring the Health of Communities 39 2.9 Conclusion 42 vi Chapter 3 Global Health Policy and Australia’s National Immunisation Program (NIP) Part 1 Global Public Health Policy 3.1 Introduction 45 3.2 Global Health Policy 46 3.3 The Influence of GAVI in Global Health Policy 53 3.4 National Immunisation and Technical Advisory Groups (NITAG) 56 3.5 The International Health Regulations (IHR) 59 3.6 Global Preparations for a Pandemic 62 3.7 Global Vaccination Policies and Human Rights 63 3.8 Contraindications to Vaccines 64 3.9 Vaccine Ingredients 65 Part 2 Development of Australia’s National Immunisation Program (NIP) 3.10 The Australian National Immunisation Strategy (NIS) 1993 68 3.11 Australia’s National Immunisation Program (NIP) 1997-2012 71 3.12 Strategies adopted in the Seven-Point Plan 72 3.13 The Reason for Increased Incentives in 2012 75 3.14 The National Immunisation Program (NIP) Since 2012 76 3.15 Vaccination in the Australian Workplace 77 3.16 The Evidence
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Need for a Rights-Based Public Health Approach to Australian Asylum Seeker Health Jo Durham1* , Claire E
    Durham et al. Public Health Reviews (2016) 37:6 DOI 10.1186/s40985-016-0020-9 REVIEW Open Access The need for a rights-based public health approach to Australian asylum seeker health Jo Durham1* , Claire E. Brolan1,2, Chi-Wai Lui1 and Maxine Whittaker1,3 * Correspondence: [email protected] Abstract 1Faculty of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, School of Public Health Public health professionals have a responsibility to protect and promote the right to School of Public Health, The health amongst populations, especially vulnerable and disenfranchised groups, such University of Queensland, Herston as people seeking asylum and whose health care is frequently compromised. As at Road, Herston, Queensland 4006, Australia 31 March 2016, there was a total of 3707 people (including 384 children) in immigration Full list of author information is detention facilities or community detention in Australia, with 431 of them detained for available at the end of the article more than 2 years. The Public Health Association of Australia and the Australian Medical Association assert that people seeking asylum in Australia have a right to health in the same way as Australian citizens, and they denounce detention of such people in government facilities for prolonged and indeterminate periods of time. The position of these two professional organisations is consistent with the compelling body of evidence demonstrating the negative impact detention has on health. Yet in recent years, both the Labour and Liberal parties—when at the helm of Australia’s Federal Government—have implemented a suite of regressive policies toward individuals seeking asylum. This has involved enforced legal restrictions on dissenting voices of those working with these populations, including health professionals.
    [Show full text]
  • Public Health Association of Australia
    FSANZ Amendment (Forum on Food Regulation and Other Measures) Bill 2015 Public Health Association of Australia Submission on the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Amendment (Forum on Food Regulation and Other Measures) Bill 2015 Committee Secretary Senate Standing Committees on Community Affairs PO Box 6100 Parliament House Canberra ACT 2600 [email protected] Contact for PHAA Michael Moore CEO 30 October 2015 20 Napier Close Deakin ACT Australia, 2600 – PO Box 319 Curtin ACT Australia 2605 1 T (02) 6285 2373 F (02) 6282 5438 E [email protected] W www.phaa.net.au FSANZ Amendment (Forum on Food Regulation and Other Measures) Bill 2015 Contents Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................... 3 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 3 The Public Health Association of Australia ...................................................................................................... 3 Vision for a healthy population ....................................................................................................................... 3 PHAA’s Mission ................................................................................................................................................ 4 Priorities for 2014 and beyond .......................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Australia in 2030: What Is Our Path to Health for All?
    SUPPLEMENT 3 May 2021 Volume 214 No 8 www.mja.com.au Australia in 2030 What is our path to health for all? PP255003/00505 Approved Post Print Journal of the Australian Medical Association MJA2_v214_s8_cover.indd 1 4/16/2021 7:14:53 AM Australia in 2030: what is our path to health for all? Coordinating Editors: Dheepa Jeyapalan, Lewis Keane and Cara Büsst This Supplement was sponsored by Citation: Backholer K, Baum F, Finlay S, et al. Australia in 2030: what is our path to health for all? Med J Aust 2021; 214 (8 Suppl): S1-S40; doi: 10.5694/mja2.51020 MJA2_v214_s8_Title.indd S1 4/19/2021 12:44:26 PM Australia in 2030 Contents S5 Our path to health for all: Australia in 2030 Jane Shill, Cara Büsst, Kellie Horton, Kirstan Corben, Sandro Demaio S7 1. How Australia improved health equity through action on the social determinants of health Sharon Friel, Fran Baum, Sharon Goldfeld, Belinda Townsend, Cara Büsst, Lewis Keane S12 2. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander connection to culture: building stronger individual and collective wellbeing Summer M Finlay, Karla Canuto, Kootsy Canuto, Nadia Neal, Raymond W Lovett S17 3. Physical determinants of health: healthy, liveable and sustainable communities Billie Giles-Corti, Anthony Capon, Annemarie Wright, Patrick Harris, Anna Timperio, Andrew Butt, Melanie Lowe, Belen Zapata-Diomedi, Carmel Williams, Tahna Pettman, Lucy Gunn S22 4. Health promotion in the Anthropocene: the ecological determinants of health Rebecca Patrick, Fiona Armstrong, Anthony Capon, Kathryn Bowen, Selina N Lo, Aileen Thoms S27 5. Disrupting the commercial determinants of health Alexandra Jones, Jennifer Lacy-Nichols, Phil Baker, Anne Marie T Thow, Jane E Martin, Mike Daube, Kathryn Backholer, Belinda Townsend S32 6.
    [Show full text]
  • Uptake of a Conspiracy Theory Attribution Brian Martin, University
    http://social-epistemology.com ISSN: 2471-9560 Uptake of a Conspiracy Theory Attribution Brian Martin, University of Wollongong, [email protected] __________________ Martin, Brian. 2019. “Uptake of a Conspiracy Theory Attribution.” Social Epistemology Review and Reply Collective 8 (6): 16-30. https://wp.me/p1Bfg0-4cP. 8 (6): 16-30. 2019. https://wp.me/p1Bfg0-4cP Claiming that someone subscribes to a conspiracy theory can be a potent method of denigration. I observed this process up close. The thesis of one of my doctoral students was alleged to endorse a conspiracy theory, therefore discrediting it. Journalists, bloggers, petition signers, Wikipedia editors and scientists endorsed the allegations without assessing whether the thesis actually propounded a conspiracy, without assessing whether evidence was provided for the alleged conspiracy, and without providing any evidence that the allegation discredited the thesis. It seems that few people will question a claim that is endorsed by others, meshes with what they would like to believe, and requires effort to check. On the Study of Conspiracy Theories In recent decades, there has been a huge increase in the study of conspiracy theories (Dentith 2018; Uscinski 2019). Some of the alleged conspiracies directly involve science, for example the claim that HIV was biologically engineered by the military. Others involve science indirectly, for example the claim that the US government organised the 9/11 terrorist attacks, which involves arguments about jet fuel and explosives as means to bring down the US Trade Towers. Examining these sorts of conspiracy theories provides a means of gaining insight into people’s understanding and acceptance of scientific claims.
    [Show full text]
  • Public Health Association of Australia Submission on COVID-19
    Public Health Association of Australia submission on COVID-19 Contact for recipient: Committee Secretary A: Department of the Senate PO Box 6100, Parliament House Canberra ACT 2600 E: [email protected] T: (02) 6277 3892 28 May 2020 Contact for PHAA: Terry Slevin – Chief Executive Officer A: 20 Napier Close, Deakin ACT 2600 PHAA submission on COVID-19 Contents Preamble 4 The Public Health Association of Australia ............................................................................................ 4 Vision for a healthy population ............................................................................................................ 4 Mission for the Public Health Association of Australia .......................................................................... 4 Introduction 5 Context 6 Assessing the response through the WFPHA lens ................................................................................. 6 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) ................................................................................................ 6 Training and role of public health professionals ................................................................................... 7 Equity .................................................................................................................................................. 8 One Health .......................................................................................................................................... 9 Response 10 Coordination between Governments
    [Show full text]
  • Republic of Kiribati WHO Library Cataloguing-In-Publication Data
    Human Resources for Health Country Profiles Republic of Kiribati WHO Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data Human resources for health country profiles: Republic of Kiribati 1. Delivery of healthcare – manpower. 2. Health manpower - education. 3. Health resources - utilization. I. World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific. ISBN 978 92 9061 668 9 (NLM Classification: W76 LA1) © World Health Organization 2014 All rights reserved. Publications of the World Health Organization are available on the WHO web site (www.who.int) or can be purchased from WHO Press, World Health Organization, 20 Avenue Appia, 1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland (tel.: +41 22 791 3264; fax: +41 22 791 4857; e-mail: [email protected]). Requests for permission to reproduce or translate WHO publications –whether for sale or for non-commercial distribution– should be addressed to WHO Press through the WHO web site (www.who.int/about/licensing/ copyright_form/en/index.html). For WHO Western Pacific Regional Publications, request for permission to reproduce should be addressed to Publications Office, World Health Organization, Regional Office for the Western Pacific, P.O. Box 2932, 1000, Manila, Philippines, fax: +632 521 1036, e-mail: [email protected]. The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the World Health Organization concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Dotted lines on maps represent approximate border lines for which there may not yet be full agreement.
    [Show full text]
  • Committee on the Health Care Complaints Commission
    PARLIAMENT OF NEW SOUTH WALES COMMITTEE ON THE HEALTH CARE COMPLAINTS COMMISSION REPORT 5/55 – NOVEMBER 2014 THE PROMOTION OF FALSE AND MISLEADING HEALTH-RELATED INFORMATION AND PRACTICES New South Wales Parliamentary Library cataloguing-in-publication data: New South Wales. Parliament. Joint Committee on the Health Care Complaints Commission. The promotion of false and misleading health-related information and practices / Parliament of New South Wales, Committee on the Health Care Complaints Commission. [Sydney, N.S.W.] : the Committee, 2014. – [71] pages ; 30 cm. (Report ; no. 5/55) Chair: Donald Page, MP. “November 2014”. ISBN 9781921012044 1. Health promotion—New South Wales. 2. Public health—New South Wales. I. Title. II. Page, Donald. III. Series: New South Wales. Parliament. Joint Committee on the Health Care Complaints Commission. Report ; no. 5/55. 613 (DDC22) The motto of the coat of arms for the state of New South Wales is “Orta recens quam pura nites”. It is written in Latin and means “newly risen, how brightly you shine”. FALSE AND MISLEADING HEALTH-RELATED INFORMATION AND PRACTICES Contents Membership _____________________________________________________________ ii Terms of Reference _______________________________________________________ iii Chair’s Foreword __________________________________________________________iv List of Recommendations ___________________________________________________vi Glossary ________________________________________________________________ viii CHAPTER ONE – INTRODUCTION________________________________________1
    [Show full text]
  • INDEFINITE DESPAIR the Tragic Mental Health Consequences of Offshore Processing on Nauru
    © MSF INDEFINITE DESPAIR The tragic mental health consequences of offshore processing on Nauru Médecins Sans Frontières mental health project, Nauru December 2018 © MSF CONTENTS 1. Excutive Summary 4 2. Introduction 8 2.1 Purpose 8 2.2 Context 8 2.3 MSF presence in Nauru 12 3. Methodology 14 3.1 Data sources 14 3.2 Data analysis 14 4. Findings 15 4.1 Demographics 15 4.2 Family situation of refugee 17 and asylum seeker patients 4.3 Exposure to difficulties and 19 traumatic events 4.4 Mental health morbidities 22 4.5 Self-harm and suicidal behaviour among 27 refugee and asylum seeker patients 4.6 Service and referral 28 4.7 Additional data analysis on 29 outcome measures 5. Conclusions 35 6. References 37 7. Appendix 39 2 Indefinite Despair December 2018 3 Refugee and asylum seeker patients 1. MSF’s patients EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Among the 208 refugees and asylum seekers MSF treated • Aged from under 1 to 74 years old with in Nauru, 124 patients (60%) had suicidal thoughts © MSF an average age of 32. and 63 patients (30%) attempted suicide. Children • 19% of patients were under 18. as young as 9 were found to have suicidal thoughts, committed acts of self-harm or attempted suicide. • 157 were female and 128 were male. Almost two-thirds (62%) of MSF’s 208 refugee • Of the refugee and asylum seeker and asylum seeker patients were diagnosed with patients, 193 (93%) were recognised moderate or severe depression. The second highest refugees while 15 (7%) were asylum morbidity was anxiety disorder (25%), followed by seekers.
    [Show full text]
  • When a Patient's Ethnicity Is Declared, Medical Students' Decision-Making Processes Are Affected
    The University of Notre Dame Australia ResearchOnline@ND Medical Papers and Journal Articles School of Medicine 2015 When a patient's ethnicity is declared, medical students' decision-making processes are affected S C. Ewen J Barrett David Paul University of Notre Dame Australia, [email protected] D Askew G Webb See next page for additional authors Follow this and additional works at: https://researchonline.nd.edu.au/med_article Part of the Medicine and Health Sciences Commons This article was originally published as: Ewen, S. C., Barrett, J., Paul, D., Askew, D., Webb, G., & Wilkin, A. (2015). When a patient's ethnicity is declared, medical students' decision-making processes are affected. Internal Medical Journal, 45 (8), 805-812. http://doi.org/10.1111/imj.12800 This article is posted on ResearchOnline@ND at https://researchonline.nd.edu.au/med_article/689. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Authors S C. Ewen, J Barrett, David Paul, D Askew, G Webb, and A Wilkin This article is available at ResearchOnline@ND: https://researchonline.nd.edu.au/med_article/689 This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Ewen S.C., J. Barrett, D. Paul, D. Askew, G. Webb, A. Wilkin (2015) “When a patient’s ethnicity is declared, medical students’ decision-making processes are affected” Internal Medicine Journal, 45(8): 805- 812. doi: 10.1111/imj.12800, which has been published in final form at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/imj.12800/abstract. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for self-archiving.
    [Show full text]
  • Environmental Pseudoscience
    SKEPTICISM . SCIENCE . SOCIETY Vol 38, No 4. December 2018 Green Meanies? Environmental Pseudoscience +Phrenology, Hoaxes Energy & Skepticon 2018 Australian Skeptics . www.skeptics.com.au Skeptic_Cover_Dec18.indd 1 3/12/2018 8:19 pm The Skeptic December 18 Skeptical Groups in Australia NSW VIC Australian Skeptics Inc – Eran Segev Australian Skeptics (Vic) Inc – Chris Guest www.skeptics.com.au PO Box 5166, Melbourne VIC 3001 PO Box 20, Beecroft, NSW 2119 Tel: 0403 837 339 [email protected] Tel: 02 8094 1894; Mob: 0432 713 195; Fax: (02) 8088 4735 [email protected] Skeptics’ Café – Third Monday of every month, with guest speaker. Meal from 6pm, speaker at 8pm sharp. More details on Sydney Skeptics in the Pub – 6pm first Thursday of each our web site www.skeptics.com.au/vic month at the Occidental Hotel, York Street in the city, near Wynyard Park (meeting second floor) Dinner meetings are held on a regular basis. Ballarat Skeptics in the Pub http://facebook.com/groups/3978112230309544 Hunter Skeptics – John Turner Tel: (02) 4959 6286 [email protected] Geelong Skeptics Society Contact: James Rolton [email protected] Occasional social meetings at the Cricketers Arms Hotel, Cooks Online group: See Facebook for details. Hill. Those on the contact list will be sent details in advance. Hosting the Annual Surf Coast Summer Skepticamp (February) Currently meeting at 12.30 on third Sunday of each odd-numbered month. Gippsland Skeptics in the Pub Interested parties contact Mark Guerin or Martin Christian Power Blue Mountains Skeptics via the Gippsland Skeptics page: https://www.facebook.com/gr See Facebook for details.
    [Show full text]
  • Australia: Rainforest, Reef, and Cultural Ecology
    Australia: Rainforest, Reef, and Cultural Ecology TABLE OF CONTENTS GENERAL INFORMATION ............................................. 2 PREVENTION OF INSECT-BORNE ILLNESSES ................. 2 PREVENTION OF FOOD- AND WATER-BORNE ILLNESSES ..................................................................... 3 OTHER DISEASES .......................................................... 3 IMMUNIZATIONS ......................................................... 3 IMMUNIZATION SCHEDULE ......................................... 4 SIT Study Abroad programs may venture off the usual tourist track. Pay careful attention to health GENERAL INFORMATION and safety guidelines. To protect your health in Australia, you need certain pre-departure immunizations followed by reasonable health precautions while in the country. The following PREVENTION OF INSECT-BORNE health guidelines and requirements are based on years of ILLNESSES experience and the current recommendations from the Dengue US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is Dengue is a viral disease and is transmitted by designed to inform you of health concerns that may be mosquitoes which bite primarily in the daytime. Low risk present in Australia especially as you venture to smaller exists in northern Queensland, including the urban areas cities off the usual tourist track, or spend time in small of Cairns and Townsville. There is no licensed vaccine villages and rural areas for extended periods. against it, but personal protective measures against mosquito bites are effective in prevention.
    [Show full text]
  • Formula Funding and Regional Planning of Health Services in Australia
    Formula Funding and Regional Planning of Health Services in Australia NEVILLE HICKS University o f Adelaide he provision of health services to particular groups and communities within Australia’s scattered population T has been problematic for more than a century. When modern scientific medicine was developing its present form, in the 1880s, Australia was composed of six self-governing colonies of the United Kingdom. Half of the population was dispersed in an agricultural and extractive economy supporting a few regional service towns, but commercial, financial, and governmental activities were concentrated in the seaboard capital cities. Numerous small hospitals were established by voluntary initiative in the country towns and voluntary initiative, often aware of a British model if not appealing directly to it, was responsible for a considerable part of the hospital services in the urban metropolitan areas. Dispersed voluntaryism may have worked in the United Kingdom, where landed wealth also was dispersed, but it was not adequate to the Australian situation, where hospital boards quickly fell into the habit of seeking subsidy from the colonial government for their in­ stitutions. The trouble with the subsidy was that it created political and financial obligations on governments to maintain institutions over whose establishment and expansion they had no control. The system Milbank Memorial Fund Quarterly/He^///? and Society, Vol. 63, No. 4, 1985 © 1985 Milbank Memorial Fund 6 71 672 Neville Hicks of matching grants or “2 for V subsidies meant that governments had to support the enthusiasm of every local hospital committee whether it was in line with national policy or not (Bell 1968; Dickey 1967, 1980; Horsburgh 1977; Mitchell 1967).
    [Show full text]