A polio intervention in East African refugees to NSW

Mitchell M. Smith; Sanjyot Vagholkar

doi:10.1071/NB07125

RESEARCH ARTICLE

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A polio intervention in East African refugees to NSW

Mitchell M. Smith ^A ^C and Sanjyot Vagholkar ^B

+ Author Affiliations

- Author Affiliations

^A NSW Refugee Health Service

^B General Practice Unit, Fairfield Hospital and School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of NSW

^C Corresponding author. Email: mitchell.smith@sswahs.nsw.gov.au

NSW Public Health Bulletin 20(6) 77-80 https://doi.org/10.1071/NB07125
Published: 24 June 2009

Abstract

This paper summarises a public health intervention in Sydney, NSW in late 2006 that resulted from the potential exposure of a number of refugees to polio virus while in transit in Nairobi, Kenya. The intervention involved the attempted follow-up of 113 persons at risk, assessment for symptoms and immunisation where indicated. No symptomatic cases were found. Seventy-five people were immunised with inactivated poliomyelitis vaccine. The intervention highlighted the importance of close collaboration between health services, the Department of Immigration and Citizenship and settlement service agencies, and provided several lessons to consider when assessing newly arrived refugees.

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank medical, nursing and administrative staff from all health services that contributed to this intervention. The support and liaison provided by Dr Kathy King and other staff from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship is appreciated. The vital assistance from ACL settlement service staff is also warmly acknowledged.

References

[1] Australian Government Department of Immigration and Citizenship. New South Wales: settlement trends and needs of new arrivals 2007. Belconnen: Commonwealth of Australia; 2007. Available from: http://www.immi.gov.au/living-in-australia/delivering-assistance/government-programs/settlement-planning/_pdf/trends_needs_nsw.pdf (Cited 23 November 2008.)

[2] World Health Organization. Wild poliovirus confirmed in Kenya after 22 years. Kenya Weekly Bulletin. Nairobi: World Health Organisation; 2006. Available from: https://www.who.int/hac/crises/ken/sitreps/Kenya_Weekly_Bulletin_15Oct2006.pdf (Cited 23 November 2008.)

[3] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Recommendations for remaining U.S. bound refugees in Dadaab, Kenya refugee camps following the reported case of poliomyelitis in the camp. Atlanta: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2006. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dq/refugee/response/pdf/polio_recs_11_24_06.pdf (Cited 23 November 2008.)

[4] Australian Government Department of Immigration and Citizenship. Fact Sheet 60: Australia’s Refugee and Humanitarian Program. Canberra: Department of Immigration and Citizenship; 2008. Available from: http://www.immi.gov.au/media/fact-sheets/60refugee.htm (Cited 23 November 2008.)

[5] Australian Government Department of Immigration and Citizenship. Fact Sheet 66: Integrated Humanitarian Settlement Strategy. Canberra: Department of Immigration and Citizenship; 2008. Available from: http://www.immi.gov.au/media/fact-sheets/66ihss.htm (Cited 23 November 2008.)

[6] AAP. ‘Hanson turns on “diseased” Africans’, Sydney Morning Herald, 6 December 2006. Available from: http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/hanson-turns-on-diseased-africans/2006/12/06/1165081010724.html (Cited 23 November 2008.)