IN THE wake of cyclone Ellie which has caused intense rainfall in WA's Kimberley region, local pharmacists have played a key role in the Aboriginal Medical Services and WA Country Health Service-led response to the disaster.
"We are very used to the wet season, and are well-organised on the ground to anticipate situations.
"But, this time round the intensity of the rains was like nothing I have seen," said Hannah Mann, proprietor of Kimberley Pharmacy Services (KPS), and winner of the Pharmacy of the Year in 2015.
The deluge caused the Fitzroy River to swell to record-high levels, inundating floodplains and isolating several riverside communities.
At its peak, according to the Bureau of Meteorology, the amount of water moving down the Fitzroy River in one day was the amount of water Perth uses in 20 years.
Mary Baker, a KPS pharmacist "was a super-hero as she worked with the army, airforce, WA County Health, and Aboriginal Health Services to meet people as they got out of the evac helicopters.
"Mary organised medicines for so many, and even cooked meals."
The pharmacists also arranged vaccinations and looked after a range of acute and chronic health needs for displaced people.
"We worked with Defence and others to get supplies and medicines delivered via military planes," Mann said, as tonnes of food and medical supplies were flown into the disaster-hit region.
"Amy Czislowski and Kerry-Anne Casanova, our senior pharmacists in Broome were amazing.
"As we responded to the developing situation on the ground, Amy and Kerry-Anne, with very little notice, had to make sure the right medications got on those planes, and on time.
"With so much other cargo, those planes weren't going to wait for us.
"And while handling all this unexpected extra work, they still had to make sure all the business-as-usual work got done.
"They're running on fumes."
KPS supported the local Aboriginal Health Services in setting up a seven-day-a-week patient access service so that patient records can be accessed for those arriving, or those who cannot return to their town or community.
"It would be great to see more recognition for some of the work that pharmacists do.
"I feel that rural/remote pharmacy is just not understood enough in Perth or Canberra, where decisions are made without asking the people on the ground about what really matters to them and works for them".
"Ideally, I would like pharmacy to be able to access emergency funding so we can cover the additional costs of accessing, transporting, and delivering medicines and services.
"In the end, this is our heart, this is our work, funded or not funded," Mann said, knowing only too well her work has just started.
KPS is working with members of the pharmacy wholesaler network to facilitate the collection and transport of donations to communities in need.
"Many families have lost everything, and I am very grateful to the colleagues who have reached out to help.
"We have a long road ahead of us to get things back to normal.
"If anyone reading this wants to help us meet that challenge, please get in touch," concludes Mann, exhausted after working nonstop since the cyclone came through before Christmas last year.
Pictured below: Hannah Mann and Kerry-Anne with the evac helicopters.
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 16 Jan 23
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