By Luke Voogt
Medical professionals are struggling to treat polio survivors despite them being the largest physical disability group in Australia, according to a local campaigner.
“More health professionals need to understand my condition,” Grovedale polio survivor Gary Newton told the Indy yesterday.
Gary contracted polio at 15 months old in 1954, two years before the vaccine for the disease became available.
Despite the eradication of the disease in Australia in 1988, Polio Australia estimates 400,000 survivors still live.
“It’s a very little known fact but we’re still here,” Gary said.
“We’re not those cute, cuddly, little kids that got all that attention in the ‘50s and ‘60s anymore.“
The late effects of polio can cause new muscle weakness and atrophy, chronic fatigue, pain and respiratory problems, he explained.
“We’re still needing help and support and struggling with the disease that we’ve had all our lives.”
Currently Gary uses a wheelchair and crutches due 80 per cent and 30 per cent paralysis in his legs and arms respectively.
But too often medical professionals did not understand his condition, he said.
“Medical training today… doesn’t touch on polio apart from the fact there is a vaccine.“
He urged local medical professionals to attend one of two workshops in Newtown and central Geelong next Thursday to expand their knowledge.
“It’s also to help polio people manage their symptoms,” he added.
Gary travelled in January to promote awareness in India, where Rotary International, UN and national vaccination programs have all but eradicated the disease.
“But it’s still on their radar,” Gary said.
“They’re next door to Pakistan which is polio endemic.
“If we were to stop eradicating polio now … within ten years there would 200,000 new cases.”
Polio was only “a plane ride away” from reappearing in Australia, given doctors diagnosed a Pakistani student here in 2007, he warned.
“Some parents chose not vaccinate their children.“
Gary encouraged local medical professionals to visit polioaustralia.org.au to find out more about the workshops.
