CORONAVIRUS
— VACCINATION PLAN — REGIONS
616. Hon MARTIN ALDRIDGE to the minister representing the
Minister for Health:
I refer to Local government area
(LGA) COVID-19 vaccine rates published by the commonwealth on 28 August, and SA4 vaccination rates (AIR Indigenous
population) published by the commonwealth on 31 August, which show
that areas of regional Western Australia have the lowest vaccination uptake in
Australia.
(1) Can the
minister please outline the state government's strategy to address the
critically low rates of vaccination uptake in regional WA's Indigenous
population?
(2) Is the
minister considering any additional strategies or incentives to ensure
vulnerable and Indigenous communities in regional and remote WA have access to
the vaccination in a timely manner?
(3) If yes to
(2), can the minister please provide the detail?
(4) Will the
minister write to the commonwealth to request local government area vaccine
rates for remote communities classified as outback north and outback south, so
that we have a complete picture of where the gaps are in our vaccine rollout?
Hon SUE
ELLERY replied:
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question. I am providing the answer on behalf of the
minister who represents the Minister for Health.
(1) While
responsibility for vaccinating remote Aboriginal communities is held by the
commonwealth, WA Health, through WA Country Health Service, is working closely
with Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations, the Royal Flying
Doctor Service and general practices to ensure that vaccines are available in remote Aboriginal communities. WACHS offers a whole-of-community
approach, offering one COVID-19 vaccine—Pfizer—to
everyone in a community over 12 years of age. WACHS health promotion and public
health staff engage with communities beforehand and respond to questions about
medical information on the vaccines to address hesitancy. WA Health has been
advocating to the commonwealth to increase vaccine supply to ACCHOs, in
particular the Pfizer vaccine.
(2) Yes.
(3) WACHS is
planning whole-of-community approaches in small towns across country Western Australia.
WACHS is working in partnership with Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Services and
RFDS to deliver the Broome Vaxathon on 7 and 9 September 2021, prioritising
Aboriginal people and homeless groups. Similar arrangements in partnership with
the mining industry are planned for Newman, Tom Price and Paraburdoo. In addition, WACHS has engaged RFDS to
support efforts in the Pilbara, including Nullagine, Marble Bar and
Yandeyarra. WACHS would like to offer whole-of-town approaches in all towns
across country WA but is limited in its response due to issues such as vaccine
supply.
(4) WA Health is
working with the commonwealth to increase access to information about
vaccinations, in particular vaccination rates, in remote communities.