Gannawarra Annual Report 2011 - Gannawarra Shire Council

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Above: Living Green workshop
participant Kylie Kervin with
water wise gardener and
presenter Kevin Walsh.
Below: Pat Ibbotson displayed
her POW Sketches at the Sir
John Gorton Library in May of
2011.
HEALTH
√ 96.8 percent of children under five
years of age residing in
Gannawarra were fully immunised,
above the state average of 92
percent. The increase is attributed
to an active strategy to follow up
children overdue for
immunisations.
√ 2,175 vaccinations were
administered to 1,584 people at
51 immunisation sessions during
the 2010/2011 year, the highest
number on record.
√ Council’s 2011 seasonal Influenza
program concluded with a record
number of 616 doses of the
vaccine administered. 34
businesses participated in
Council’s annual workplace
immunisation program.
√ Special Immunisation Clinics
were conducted at Quambatook,
Leitchville and Murrabit. These
clinics are organised on an annual
basis by members of these small
communities and Council is
pleased to be involved in
improving access to health
services within outlying towns.
√ A Heart Foundation ‘Healthy by
Design’ forum was conducted in
Kerang for local agency staff
which included a presentation on
‘Planning for a Healthy Future in
Gannawarra’. Healthy by Design
encourages enhanced knowledge
of how improved health and
wellbeing for the community can
be an important outcome for
projects with the right
information, planning and design.
√ A review of Council’s Municipal
Public Health and Wellbeing Plan
2009 - 2013 finds that the
document continues to be
effective, assisting to drive health
and wellbeing outcomes for the
community at a local level.
The next review is scheduled for
November 2011.
√ Council’s Heatwave Plan was
reviewed, the Heat Health Alert
system tested and an internal
group formed to prepare to
activate Council’s Heat Health
systems over the summer period.
Key community messages such as
‘stay out of the heat, stay cool and
drink plenty of water, look out for
yourself and others’ were
distributed.
√ One outbreak of gastroenteritis in
aged care facilities was
investigated and controlled and
Council officers were called to
investigate two cases of
communicable disease.
√ 36 compliance checks were
conducted under the Tobacco Act.
17 education sessions with
tobacco retailers, eating
establishments and licensed
premises were completed.
√ Two complaints under the
Nuisance provisions of the Public
Health and Wellbeing Act 2008
were received and investigated.
√ 144 compliance inspections of
premises registered under the
Food Act, Public Health and
Wellbeing Act and Residential
Tenancies Act were conducted by
Council officers.
√ 167 doses of the Human
papillomavirus vaccine were
administered to help protect
women from cervical cancer.
√ 296 doses of the Boostrix vaccine
were administered to help protect
against whooping cough as a high
incidence of disease continues to
occur across Australia.