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People smugglers win as Gillard looses her credibility over East Timor Folly

Monday, 06 September 2010 01:50
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People smugglers have continued to run their ferry rides from Indonesia as Gillard fails to convince Australians that she has a solution. First there was the Timor solution that was the much touted cure, then there was the unnamed solution, then there was the proposed Timor solution and then there is "no solution". East Timor has refused to help Gillard.

This evening people smugglers condoned by Indonesian politicians and laws delivered its latest load of unwanted paying passenger financial refugees to Australia.

Prime Minister Gillard continues to offer permanent residency to boat people who pay to get to Australia and as long as she does that people smugglers will deliver more people who fly to Indonesia to dodge United Nations refugee scrutiny. The former government offered temporary protection visas which offered sanctuary but Labor lets anyone who gets to Australia stay regardless of how they arrive. If you pay people smugglers and transit through Indonesia you will get free housing, money, training and the right to bring your family out later.

Julia Gillard faces an election and her solution to people smuggling now joins the ranks of the rorts on school building which rewarded mates with "consultancy fees", the deadly insulation scam run by former Minister Garrett, the failed climate change folly run by Senator Wong, the forgetful Defence Minister forced to resign and the dumping of Kevin Rudd.

Here is the official announcement which no longer refers to "interception" of ferry rides from Indonesia but calls it "assistance".

HMAS Albany assisted a suspected irregular entry vessel 230 nautical miles west of Darwin last night, within Australia’s search and rescue region under the Safety of Life at Sea Convention.

Initial indications suggest there are 37 passengers and 2 crew on board.

The vessel was initially detected by a Customs and Border Protection Dash-8 aircraft, operating under the control of Border Protection Command.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority Rescue Coordination Centre (AMSA) was notified that the vessel may require assistance and AMSA co-ordinated the initial response.

A nearby commercial vessel attended finding that the vessel had run out of fuel. HMAS Albany also attended and a doctor assessed the passengers, recommending that two people may need medical assistance as a precaution.

The two people are being taken to Darwin for precautionary medical assistance, along with three family members.

The remaining passengers are now being transferred to Christmas Island where they will undergo security, identity and health checks and their reasons for travel will be established.

While their nationality is yet to be confirmed, if these asylum seekers are Afghans, the processing suspension introduced by the Government on 9 April 2010 will apply.

 

HIV-positive Teens Infecting Other Teens

Monday, 06 September 2010 01:50
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KAMPALA, Jul 1  (IPS)  - HIV-positive Phiona* (19) had unprotected sex with her best friend and she prays that she did not infect him with the virus. She knew she should not have let it happen but Phiona was too scared to tell him her status, and the teenagers did not have access to condoms.

”He kept pestering me. I knew my problem but feared to disclose to him for fear he would hate me. He was my best friend at school,” says Phiona.

And now it has become a moment that will haunt her for the rest of her life.

Juliet* is also an HIV-positive teenager who was born with the virus. She too says she had unprotected sex with some members of her school drama group and also did not reveal her status to them.

”When we go out for trips in the drama group they somehow pair up and have sex back stage or in the toilet. And because of peer pressure you find yourself with no option but to have sex too,” Juliet says, adding that she has sexual desires too.

Juliet and Phiona are just a few of the many HIV-positive teenagers in Uganda born with the virus who are now becoming adolescents and exploring their sexuality.

At least 30,000 infants are born with HIV every year according to Dr. Steven Watiti of the Mildmay Centre, a health facility that offers treatment to mostly HIV-positive children. And with improved treatment for HIV, many of these infants have grown to adulthood posing a health risk to other teenagers through unsafe sex.

But the Ministries of Health and Education cannot agree on whether school going children should be provided with condoms to prevent further spread of the virus.

Minister of education Geraldine Namirembe Bitamazire says school going children need to control their sex desires until they finish school.

”There is sex education in schools particularly in upper classes to prepare children for such a time when they should be ready. And that time is certainly after school when they get married,” Bitamazire says.

But Major Rubaramira Ruranga, head of the National Guidance and Empowerment Network of People Living with HIV, says the department of education's approach is a time bomb.

”We need to combine ethics and responsibility. It's true that children should delay sex but we all know that children are starting sex early. We need to save them from getting HIV from those who already have the virus and if condoms are the solution so be it.”

Rubaramira, who has been living with HIV for many years, says government has a responsibility to provide condoms even to school children so that they grow up understanding its normal to use them.

According to Dr. Jane Nakaweesi a paediatrician at the Mildmay Centre who also counsels adolescents, many want to live responsibly but have problems controlling their body's desires and cannot freely access condoms.

”Some of them are in puberty stage and the desire, the sex desire is at its peak. Unfortunately this is the reality whether you are HIV-positive or not. The problem is that these teenagers will not have condoms at school or cannot afford them,” says Nakaweesi.

Zainab Akol, the AIDS Control Programme manager in Uganda's ministry of health says HIV among children is a challenge to Uganda's future generation since children make up the biggest proportion (56 percent) of the country's population.

According to a study conducted among HIV-positive adolescents and young adults aged between 11-21 years, the majority of those interviewed preferred partners who are HIV-negative for fear of re-infection.

The study, conducted by the Paediatric Infectious Diseases Clinic (PIDC), found that HIV-positive young adults are a potential source of infection to others as they hide their status to ‘hook' unsuspecting HIV-negative partners.

”Even some who had chosen to abstain after counselling are beginning to ask themselves: ‘Abstain until when?'” the study concludes.

Dr Sabrina Bakeera-Kitaka head of adolescent programmes at the PIDC says: ”They get a new sexual partner and this, coupled with pressure from the new partner to have unprotected sex, risks further spread of the disease.”

James Kakooza, minister for primary health care, says they are in talks with the ministry of education to come up with an amicable solution as to whether or not to distribute condoms in schools.

”For us we are ready to give the condoms (to schools) but there are some concerns we have to address with our counterparts in education. We have so far convinced them to allow sex education and now we are discussing to lower the age for sex education I am sure we shall reach an agreement on condoms,” says Kakooza.

*Names have been changed to protect the identity of the minors.

$500,000 Health Coaching Service Launched

Monday, 06 September 2010 01:50
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The Minister for Health, Michelle O’Byrne, today encouraged Tasmanians who want to live a healthier lifestyle and ward off disease to take advantage of a new health coaching service now operating in the State.

Ms O’Byrne said the State Government had provided almost $500,000 this year to fund the new Get Healthy Information and Coaching Service– a major health initiative targeting preventable risk factors for chronic disease.
“The Get Healthy Information and Coaching Serviceis a free, confidential telephone-based service that helps people make simple lifestyle changes regarding healthy eating, being physically active and achieving and maintaining a healthy weight.”
Ms O’Byrne said changing long-term habits could be hard, and the Get Healthy Service had been shown to help.
“Most people intuitively know what they need to do to have a healthier lifestyle, but sometimes find it hard to make behavioural changes on their own and the new service will provide information, advice and support for health improvement.
“Many Tasmanian adults want to get fitter and healthier, and be a healthy weight.
“The best way to achieve this is through simple, long-term lifestyle changes.
“This is extremely important.  Healthy lifestyles not only help us feel and look good, they can help protect us from long-term or chronic illnesses like diabetes, heart and lung disease, arthritis and the most common types of cancer.
“The Get Healthy Information and Coaching Servicehas been running in New South Wales since early last year and has helped many people there to improve their lifestyle.”
Ms O’Byrne said the Tasmanian Government has entered into an agreement with NSW Health to extend the Service to Tasmania fromtoday.
“We’re investing $490,000 overall in establishing and supporting this new Service in the 2010 – 2011 financial year through our commitment to preventative health.”
The Get Healthy Information and Coaching Service provides information and ongoing personalised telephone support to help adults make lasting lifestyle changes.
“The personal health coaches help you work out what changes you can make that you’ll be able to stick to,” Ms O’Byrne said.
“The service is free, confidential and easy to use and, importantly, you won’t be asked to buy any special products.”
When you register with the Get Healthy Service you will:
·        Be assigned your own personal health coach, who will phone you up to 10 times over six months, at a time that suits you.
·        Receive a free information booklet and coaching journal/diary.
·        Have access to a secure website from which you can download tools to help you keep track of your progress and get healthy living tips.
The Get Healthy Service was developed by NSW Health as the first government run, individually-tailored health coaching service to be provided statewide in Australia, and is evaluated on an ongoing basis by the University of Sydney.
To register for the Service, or find out more, telephone 1300 806 258, Monday – Friday, 8am – 8pm, or visit www.gethealthy.tas.gov.au.

New Life-Saving Equipment for Ambulance Tasmania

Monday, 06 September 2010 01:50
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Tasmanians will receive the very best emergency medical response if they suffer a cardiac arrest with the arrival in the State of the latest state-of-the-art ‘heart starter’ equipment.

The Minister for Health, Michelle O’Byrne, today told a Budget Estimates committee hearing that Ambulance Tasmania had taken delivery of 59 new cardiac monitor defibrillators, with another nine to follow shortly, at a total cost of around $1.8 million.
Ms O’Byrne said the new defibrillators would be spread around the State and become part of Ambulance Tasmania’s advanced emergency response equipment.
“The new defibrillators are part of the $48 million, four-year funding package provided by the State Government which is seeing major improvements in ambulance services around Tasmania.
“That funding continues to be rolled out across the State and is delivering new paramedics, improved training, new ambulance stations, new vehicles and new equipment.”
Ms O’Byrne said the new defibrillators – which are used to ‘shock’ a faulty heart back into the correct rhythm during cardiac arrest - were light years ahead of the older, less advanced devices they would now replace.
“The new models are more sophisticated, very robust, extremely reliable and have an extended battery life which is vitally important during longer, more complex cases,” she said.
Ms O’Byrne said the new cardiac monitor defibrillators had many other advanced features, including:

· A 12-lead electrocardiograph (ECG) – a tracing of the electrical activity in the heart showing key recordings like rate and rhythm.
· Capacity to transmit ECGs and other patient data to hospitals or other medical facilities via Bluetooth and the 3G phone network.
· Capacity to download the ECG and other vital patient data onto an electronic Patient Care Record (ePCR) information system completed by the paramedic.
· External pacing – a process where the device takes control of the heart’s electrical system if it fails to beat properly.
· The ability to measure oxygen saturation and carbon dioxide in the patient’s blood.
· Non-invasive blood pressure monitoring.
“The new defibrillators even have a special ‘flagging’ system that alerts the paramedic to damage that may be occurring to the patient’s heart,” Ms O’Byrne said.
“This works by providing an extra interpretation of the patient’s ECG with the aid of inbuilt diagnostics, enabling the paramedic to instigate appropriate immediate treatments and to alert the hospital to provide more advanced care.”
Ms O’Byrne said Laerdal Australia was the successful tenderer to supply the new defibrillators.

Alice Springs Hospital Becomes More Energy Efficient

Monday, 06 September 2010 01:50
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About $500,000 worth of energy-efficiency upgrades at Alice Springs Hospital will result in the saving of 440 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually - or the equivalent of driving from Alice Springs to Darwin and back 650 times a year.

 

The Alice Solar City-funded upgrades are part of a series of exciting energy-saving projects which will greatly reduce the carbon footprint of ASH, Health Minister Kon Vatskalis said today.

 

The hospital has also received funding through the NT Government’s $6 million Government Energy Efficiency Program for an onsite co-generation power plant. This will meet more than half its electricity needs and generate roughly 40 per cent of the steam it uses for sterilisation, laundry and heating.

 

“Hospitals typically have a large environmental footprint, so we need to look for ways to reduce energy and resource consumption while continuing to deliver high levels of patient care,” Mr Vatskalis said.

 

“Co-generation is a high-efficiency system that uses a single fuel input – in this case, gas – to produce two outputs – electricity and steam,” Mr Vatskalis said.

 

“Because the steam will be produced using waste heat from generator exhaust, it will, essentially, be free.

 

“Co-generation is recognised internationally as a key strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and will reduce Alice Springs Hospital’s carbon footprint by a whopping 20 per cent.

 

“It will enhance energy security at the hospital as it will have three sources of electricity – grid power, on-site gas generation and stand-by diesel generators.”

 

General Manager of Alice Solar City, Brian Elmer, welcomed the hospital’s participation in the Solar City energy saving initiatives.

 

“As one of the largest energy users in Alice Springs, we view the implementation of energy-efficient measures as a major benefit to the town as a whole,” he said.

 

“We commend the Hospital for showing leadership to the other large users in Alice Springs by implementing these improvements.”

 

Some of the energy-saving projects to be implemented at ASH include:

 

•           The installation of 260 water-efficient showerheads, predicted to save more than twelve million litres of water each year;

•           Occupancy sensor controls that will ensure lights are only on when needed;

•           Evaporative pre-cooling of outside air, which will reduce the demand for energy- intensive refrigerate cooling;

•           Energy management controls in the doctors’ accommodation that turn the air conditioning off when each unit is unoccupied; and

•           Live ‘carbon counter’ display screens that will provide up-to-the-minute carbon emissions feedback to staff.

A range of measures will also fine tune the operation of the hospital’s air conditioning and heating system.

Minister for Climate Change Karl Hampton said the hospital overhaul will bring great benefits in a range of areas:

 

“This project forms part of the Northern Territory Government's $34 million Northern Territory Climate Change Policy; a comprehensive action plan to combat climate change.

 

“Maximising systems for energy efficiency at ASH, with the help of Alice Solar City, will deliver major cost savings in less than four years, while achieving a reduction of five per cent of the hospital’s greenhouse gas emissions.

 

“This work at ASH to reduce emissions is another great example of good environmental practice making good business sense”.

 

More information on the Northern Territory Climate Change Policy is available at:

www.greeningnt.gov.au

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