VICTORIAN pharmacists are being left on the bench unable to assist eligible patients in accessing Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) vaccines, through a State-funded vaccination program.
The Daniel Andrews Government announced plans to distribute free JEV shots to patients in flood-affected parts of the State, yesterday.
However, the program does not currently include remuneration for the community pharmacists to administer the jab.
Pharmacy Guild of Australia Victorian Branch President, Anthony Tassone, told Pharmacy Daily that the organisation would continue to lobby the State Government to engage with the sector to support the vaccine rollout campaign.
The decision not to utilise pharmacist immunisers contrasts with the South Australian Government's JEV vaccination campaign (PD 18 Oct).
Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) South Australia and Northern Territory Branch President, Veronika Seda, welcomed the decision, saying it would improve access to the vaccines.
"While 90% of JEV infections are asymptomatic, the virus can cause a rare and potentially life-threatening infection of the brain," she said.
"It is vital that we encourage the uptake of JEV vaccines in affected areas."
However, the SA Government's $20 per shot fee for pharmacists has been seen as "insufficient".
Meanwhile, the Victorian Government has announced it will deploy 20 pharmacists and 200 hospital staff to flood-affected regions in an effort to relieve exhausted health workers, the Herald Sun reports.
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