Health and Ageing

Pandemic influenza — purchase of Relenza

Capital ($m)

	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09
Department of Health and Ageing	15.5	41.1	-	-
Related expense ($m)
Department of Health and Ageing	0.2	0.7	0.7	0.7

The Government will provide $59.0 million over four years to further enhance Australia’s preparedness for a possible pandemic influenza by increasing the nation’s stockpile of Relenza, an antiviral medication. This funding includes $56.7 million in capital funding to purchase Relenza, and $2.4 million in storage expenses.

This funding will provide for the purchase of Relenza, an antiviral that is inhaled from a breath‑activated device to target the site of influenza infection and has a similar clinical efficacy to the antiviral Tamiflu.

Pandemic influenza preparedness — national medical stockpile

Capital ($m)

	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09
Department of Health and Ageing	115.5	-	-	-
Related expense ($m)
Department of Health and Ageing	3.8	3.2	3.2	3.2

The Government will provide $128.9 million over four years to purchase and store antivirals, vaccines, intravenous antibiotics and protective equipment for the national medical stockpile, in preparation for a potential pandemic influenza. This funding includes $115.5 million in capital to purchase these items, and $13.4 million in storage and staff expenses.

The funding includes:

• $79.2 million to purchase and store three million courses of the antiviral Tamiflu and 450,000 doses of antibiotics;
• $16.5 million to develop and store five million doses of the H5N1 influenza vaccine currently being developed; and
• $33.3 million to purchase and store gloves, masks, mask test kits and goggles for general practitioners, ambulance officers and emergency workers.
• information can be found in the press release of 11 December 2005 issued by the Minister of Health and Ageing.

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