Editorial
Welcome to the March edition of i2P – Information to Pharmacists.
You may have noiticed if you receive i2P by email, that we have simplified our mail out presentation.
This was because the code in our earlier version appeared to be too unstable to maintain, hence the simpler presentation.
Columns
Rollo Manning: Pharma-Goss
John Dunlop: Inside NZ
Loretta Marron BSc: Health Watch
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Volume 1 Number 1
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Volume 1 Number 3
Volume 1 Number 4
Volume 1 Number 5
Volume 1 Number 6
Volume 1 Number 7
Volume 2 Number 1
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Pharma News
Hospital News
Health Politics
Pat Gallagher: Health Informatics - The State of the Nation
Peter Sayers: The Three-Ring Circus
Dr David More: e-Health IdentifiersEPublications
Swine Flu and Indigenous People
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Editing and Researching news and stories about global and local Pharmacy Issues | |
Deaths from Swine Flu have been relatively rare, particularly when compared to death rates in previous years from other forms of influenza virus. One factor that seems to be common among all deaths from Swine Flu is that all the people infected were malnourished or had a low immune system due to an underlying medical condition or from poor diet.
On that basis a substantial number of indigenous people could be regarded at risk to Swin Flu, given the general lifestyle and dietary problems faced on a regular basis.
The fact that there have not been more deaths reported probably reflects on the isolation of some indigenous communities plus the public health preventive measures instituted by government health authorities.
Source: The West Australian
A World Health Organisation expert has warned that Aboriginal people are at serious risk from swine flu and says it is inevitable more Australians will die from the virus.
Professor John Mackenzie, from WHO’s international health regulations committee, said yesterday Aboriginal people were more at risk because of the prevalence of diabetes and other chronic diseases among them.
The warning came after a 26-yearold WA man from the remote community of Kiwirrkurra, near the Northern Territory border, last Friday became the first Australian to die with swine flu.
Professor Mackenzie said he knew little about the man’s death but said there was no doubt the virus posed a bigger threat for Aboriginal people.
“Obviously this is some matter of concern,” he said.
“I think in Australia generally there will be more deaths because if you look at what has happened elsewhere and then look at the number of cases we have had confirmed and compare the two, one would expect some more, certainly. It is sad to say but it is fact.”
A team of WA health staff will travel to Kiwirrkurra tomorrow to test neighbours of the dead man for the virus. The town has not been placed in quarantine.
Kiwirrkurra elder and community leader Bobby West said yesterday residents of the community held serious fears for their health.
He did not know the dead man but said there was significant confusion among residents over the seriousness of the swine flu outbreak.
“We don’t know what’s going on,” Mr West said. “We have a doctor and nurse coming from Darwin tomorrow (Monday). People are worried.”
A Health Department spokeswoman said there was little information about the victim or his movements before he went to hospital.
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