medialaunch.com.au

 

Kidney Health Australia Welcomes Roxon Announcement on Swine Flu Vaccine
Summary
 





 



20/08/2009

 Media Release                                            20 August 2009
 
Kidney Health Australia Welcomes Roxon Announcement on
Swine Flu Vaccine

Kidney Health Australia today welcomed the announcement by the Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon on the provision of the Swine Flu vaccination for people with chronic kidney disease.
 
Anne Wilson CEO of Kidney Health Australia said, given the vulnerability of kidney patients, especially those on dialysis three times a week and those on immunosuppression with a kidney transplant, we are certainly pleased to hear the Federal Government is taking the initiative in mid September. 
 
Dr Tim Mathew, Medical Director of Kidney Health Australia said the numbers involved with Chronic Kidney Disease in Australia were significant 

"Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) has been identified as a silent but deadly multiplier of other major chronic diseases including heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Patients with CKD have a greatly increased risk of having a heart attack, stroke or diabetes.

"At the end of 2007, 9,642 people in Australia were receiving dialysis treatment."

Dr Mathew said, "Dialysis for Chronic Kidney Disease is the most frequent reason for hospitalisation. In 2007-08, regular dialysis for CKD was recorded as the principal diagnosis in 989,000 (almost 1 million) separations 12.6% of all hospitalisation in that year."

How much does Kidney Failure cost the Australian health system?
·   The best available evidence we have on cost per person per year on dialysis is:
-            hospital Haemodialysis - $82,764
-            satellite Haemodialysis - $48,631
-            home Haemodialysis - $44,739
-            peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) - $56,828
·   The cost of dialysis in 2006 was estimated to be $646.6 million
·       On 2005 figures the cumulative cost of dialysis from 2004 to 2010 is expected to be $4.5 billion
 
Media Enquiries:
Dr Tim Mathew, Medical Director Kidney Health Australia Mobile: 0416 149 863
Ron Smith National Media Communications Kidney Health Australia
Mobile: 0417 329 201

www.kidney.org.au      
 

   

 


 

Medialaunch.com.au Pty Ltd
Copyright © Medialaunch.com.au 1999. All Rights Reserved.
PO Box 2412, Kew, Victoria, Australia. 3101
Tel: +61 03 9818 5700 Fax: +61 03 9818 5044
Email:newsdesk@medialaunch.com.au

Copyright/Legal