Health - Disease Prevention
Disease Prevention
Immunisation
The Immunise Australia Program is a joint Australian Government, and State and Territory Governments initiative that aims to increase immunisation rates so as to reduce the incidence of morbidity and mortality from vaccine preventable diseases in the Australian community.
The program builds on the initiatives of the Immunise Australia: Seven Point Plan developed in 1997. It includes the provision of free vaccine to all providers, establishment of the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register, provider and community education, and a national adverse events reporting scheme.
All essential vaccines used in the Government’s National Immunisation Program are free of charge to the recipient. However, you may be required to pay for the consultation if you visit a general practitioner who does not bulk bill. Free vaccine against 15 diseases is provided to infants, young children, adolescents and adults through this program.
Recent additions to the National Immunisation Program are the introduction of pneumococcal vaccine for infants and older Australians, chickenpox (varicella) vaccine for infants and adolescents and an HPV vaccine for young women and rotavirus vaccine for infants replacing oral polio vaccine with inactivated polio vaccine.
For more information contact the Immunise Australia Infoline on 1800 671 811 or visit www.immunise.health.gov.au
Quality Health Information Online
Developed by the Department of Health and Ageing, HealthInsite is an Internet gateway linking users to reliable, high quality information online. This website aims to meet the needs of a growing number of Australians seeking easy access to high quality information about health and wellbeing so that they can make more informed health care decisions.
Containing links to more than 80 approved information partner websites, HealthInsite provides access to up-to-date information on important health topics such as fitness, nutrition, heart disease, diabetes, mental health, asthma, cancer, and children’s health to name just a few.
Useful Websites
Australian Department of Health and Ageing www.health.gov.au
The website provides comprehensive information on the Health and Ageing portfolio covering the Department, its agencies, health and ageing policies and programs, and access to key documents that demonstrate Government action on health and ageing issues.
It also provides links to other high quality and relevant sources of health and ageing information, including:
- HealthInsite (the Department’s Internet gateway to quality health information for consumers and health professionals);
- extensive links to a range of related sites including information relating to older Australians;
- the latest information about Government campaigns (e.g., PBS, Strengthening Medicare); and
- access to the Department’s Ministers’ team page and Media Centre.
www.agedcareaustralia.gov.au Aged Care Australia is a one-stop-shop website which includes information from various sources as well as interactive features to assist people to make informed decisions about aged care options for themselves or their family members.
www.seniors.gov.au Seniors brings together a range of information for Australians more than 50 years of age.
Medicare Australia www.medicareaustralia.gov.au
Each State and Territory has a health department, which is responsible for the health care delivery in their area
Australian Capital Territory Health Department www.health.act.gov.au/c/health
New South Wales Health Department www.health.nsw.gov.au
Northern Territory Department of Health & Community Services www.nt.gov.au/health
Queensland Health Department www.health.qld.gov.au
South Australian Department of Human Services www.health.sa.gov.au
Tasmanian Department of Health and Human Services www.dhhs.tas.gov.au
Victorian Department of Human Services www.dhs.vic.gov.au
Western Australian Department of Health www.health.wa.gov.au/home/
Information updated by:
