Opinion: Working together is the key

Opinion: Working together is the key

Naomi Clarke, Public Health Physician, Barwon South West Public Health Unit (BSWPHU)

The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on health care systems globally. It placed extraordinary demands on clinical services such as hospitals, general practices, testing centres and ambulance services. It also required unprecedented efforts from health professionals working in public health, particularly health protection.

Health protection involves preventing and controlling health threats related to infectious diseases, environment and natural and human-made disasters. It includes activities that were crucial during the pandemic, such as contact tracing and vaccination and often occurs ‘behind the scenes’, with teams working to reduce the risk and spread of disease.

In Victoria, nine Local Public Health Units were established across the state in the early stages of the pandemic. Whilst initially set up to respond to COVID-19, Public Health Units now have a broader opportunity to protect and promote health at a regional and local level. Locally, the Barwon South West Public Health Unit (BSWPHU) covers a geographic area spanning from Little River to the South Australian border.

The health protection team within the BSWPHU responds to notifications and outbreaks of infectious diseases, ranging from meningococcal disease to gastroenteritis to Dengue fever. This work is vital to understand how diseases spread, identify people at risk, facilitate access to diagnosis and treatment, and reduce the risk of further disease spread. Collaboration is essential to achieve these goals, and the team works closely with key partners including the Victorian Department of Health, local councils, regional and rural health services, the Western Victoria PHN (WVPHN) and general practitioners.

Recent years have seen significant changes to the spread of diseases transmitted by mosquitoes and/or animals, with climate change, globalisation and human behaviour all contributing factors.

There is increasing concern about the global spread of avian influenza (‘bird flu’) and its impact on human health and livestock industries. In 2024, outbreaks of avian influenza occurred across poultry farms within the Barwon South West region. As part of a large multi-agency response, the BSWPHU health protection team worked with affected farms to identify people who had been in contact with unwell birds, provide appropriate health advice, offer access to medical measures to prevent disease, monitor their symptoms and facilitate urgent testing if required. This required working closely with local hospitals, WVPHN, general practitioners, pharmacies and others, showcasing the value of local collaboration achieved by Public Health Units.

Buruli ulcer is a bacterial skin disease that is spread to humans from the environment, with possums and mosquitoes thought to play a role in transmission. By analysing local data, the BSWPHU has identified a significant increase in Buruli ulcer in suburbs of Greater Geelong, including Belmont, Highton, Wandana Heights, Newtown, Grovedale and Marshall. The rapid detection of these new ‘at risk’ areas allowed the BSWPHU to communicate with local health professionals and the community, encouraging prevention activities and early detection.

Other diseases that have emerged in Victoria in recent years include Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), and mpox (formerly known as monkeypox). Both diseases have warranted intensive public health responses from Public Health Units to promote disease awareness, provide vaccination to prevent disease and facilitate diagnosis and treatment.

Investing in public health efforts at a regional and local level enhances our health system’s ability to respond rapidly and effectively to new and emerging health risks and is vital in allowing us to work collaboratively to better protect local communities.