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Submission to the National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention from
Karen Fromene
The City of Port Adelaide Enfield conducts regular public immunisation clinics for all residents. During 2001, families who were ex Woomera and Port Hedland detainees, who have settled in the local area, attended the immunisation clinics. It was evident that the families required special needs including interpreters, therefore the Community Health Nurse approached Child & Youth Health to undertake a joint pilot project to offer a specific program targeted at new arrivals to the area. Child and Youth Health were offering home visits for the families in the area, but were being overloaded with numbers.
Council's key performance objectives include "Research and identify regional factors-including socio economic, ethnic and geographic -which influence low immunisation coverage." As well as "Develop promotional or service provision strategies to address coverage deficiencies in the region- based on the assess factors of influence."
Migrant Health offers health services for all migrants in the Metropolitan areas, however access to the service can be hindered by factors such as transport issues, language and reluctance to remove children from school during school hours.
The Child & Youth Health Service negotiated with The Department of Human Services to provide a grant to cover interpreter services for a period of 12 months. At the completion of the pilot program an evaluation will be undertaken to assess the future viability of the clinic.
The following briefly outlines the clinic:
- Funding: Funding is a joint responsibility between Council. Child and Youth Health and Department of Human Services
- Nursing staff, administrative staff are provided by Council along with infrastructure such as facilities to store vaccines and provision of consumables
- Child & Youth Health provide the venue for the clinic as well as a Registered Nurse to assist and conduct health checks at the same time.
- The Department of Human Services is paying for the provision of culturally appropriate interpreters to ensure valid consent.
- The clinic is conducted on a monthly basis and is promoted through Child & Youth Health, who make the appointments. There is some word of mouth as the families talk to each other.
- Catch up vaccinations are offered to adults as well as children. Initially there was some confusion as records were not always available. South Australian Immunisation Coordination Unit has a data-base of Woomera detainees which in most instances can be cross referenced to ascertain immunisation status. In the absence of records however the normal schedule should be implemented as per CDNA (Communicable Diseases Network Australia) recommendations.
- Most of the childhood vaccines have been commenced by Migrant Health on a catch-up basis.
- Adults had only received Oral polio vaccine initially in the detention camps, which was extended to measles mumps and rubella to prevent outbreaks in Australia. Australia has been polio free since 1976 and the detainees are from countries where polio and measles are endemic. This has been seen as a public health measure for both the Australian community as well as the detainee community.
- Council offers free adult diphtheria and tetanus vaccine to all residents, therefore a primary course of the vaccine was also offered for adults attending the clinic along with measles mumps and rubella and polio they have not already received in the detention Centres.
Conclusion
Local Government is ideally placed to offer this service if funding was available They provide a specialised, accredited service with existing infrastructure to conduct the clinics. During a recent Public Health Conference in Melbourne, General Practitioners stated that they do not have the time or resources to offer this service. There are not a lot of venues refugees/detainees can attend that offer the time required to adequately assess their immunisation requirements.
Most Local Government providers are unable to offer this service to refugees in their area due to the lack of funding. Port Adelaide Enfield is a proactive Council, which provides the service as part of their Performance Objective Standards.
Migrant Health offers a comprehensive service in the city, but due to geographical constraints and cost of large families to take public transport the regional nature of outlying services would be more cost effective in terms of proactive instead of reactive health care to offer the service close to where they live and congregate.
Last Updated 22 October 2002.
