The Federal Government is to continue its support for survivors of the crippling disease of polio, many of whom suffer life-long impacts.
Minister for Regional Health, Regional Communications and Local Government, Mark Coulton said even though the disease was eradicated in Australia more than two decades ago, tens of thousands of Australians survived the infection and now endure the after-effects.
“Most polio survivors are now aged over 50, and Late Effects of Polio (LEoP) and Post-Polio Syndrome (PPS) can have significant and debilitating impacts on their lives,” Mr Coulton said.
“Australians are fortunate that the successful polio vaccine was incorporated into our Australian National Immunisation Program in 1975,” he said.
“Within 25 years we had eradicated the deadly and disabling disease from our shores.”
He said there a need to ensure the Australian survivors were supported to live fulfilling and healthy lives and $400,000 had been allocated to continue Polio Australia’s Community Information Program.
Mr Coulton said the program helped polio survivors identify and better understand their condition and the available strategies to manage that condition.
National President of Polio Australia and a survivor of polio, Gillian Thomas (pictured) said after a successful trial of community programs on a smaller scale, Polio Australia was thrilled to have the opportunity to increase its reach to the polio community across the country.
“Many people who had polio are unaware that symptoms they are now experiencing relate directly to that childhood infection,” Ms Thomas said.
“They don’t know who to see or what they can do to manage their own condition,” she said
“Our community information sessions, printable resources and online engagement can help to bridge that gap,” she said.
