Health Advocacy Strategy

Running head: HEALTH ADVOCACY STRATEGY
HEALTH ADVOCACY STRATEGY
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HEALTH ADVOCACY STRATEGY
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Introduction
Government has put forward a policy related to removal of free vaccine of measles and
influenza which is a great disadvantage for the aboriginal community (Seib et al., 2017). The
main aim of the paper is to develop an advocacy strategy for the aboriginal peoples to influence
the proposed policy change for the NGO’s board of director to consider. The advocacy for the
aboriginal peoples has focused on their health and economic status. The paper will highlight the
analysis of the proposed policy changes and its impact on the community group. The strategy has
provided alterative policy options and contribution of NGO towards public debate about the
policy to best represent their members.
Background
Vaccination in the major reason for reduction of infectious disease in Australia. Vaccine
safety is more beneficial than the therapeutic medicine (Dagan et al., 2016). The disease can be
eliminated from occurrence without global eradication of the causative agents. It is said by the
WHO that substantial progress has been made in the elimination of the measles and influenza in
human population of Australia by the supply of vaccination. More than 95% of the population
are immune through two dose vaccination regimen (Menzies, Jardine & McIntyre, 2015).
Measles and influenza virus is most contagious virus which can be spread through touching and
can be communicated through breathing, sneezing, coughing in the same atmosphere of infected
person (Laksono et al., 2016). There is no proper medication for its treatment (Fulton et al.,
2015). With the development of the vaccine there has been new insight for its eradication.
Measles vaccine is known to protect the population from the various issue like dysentery,
bacterial pneumonia and malnutrition (Somi & Murphy, 2017).

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In the developing countries, the vaccination program are the keystones for better health
care service. The need for infrastructure and staffs creates an opportunity for the effective
primary healthcare service (Macartney et al., 2015). However, the immunization program require
economic support for the purchase of the vaccine and adequate staffing. This is creating financial
burden in the indigenous community. It has resulted in unequal approach by the people of the
Australia (Ryan et al., 2019).
Community group and risk
The NGO works for the public health safety of the indigenous community. The
community group which include the indigenous and aboriginal peoples are at the major risk for
the prevalence of measles and influenza. They are the most affected peoples who gets infectious
disease epidemic. The major reason is lack of knowledge, education about the disease (Gibson et
al., 2015). There is health inequality in the population of Australia because they do not get access
to the health service. There is high rate of unemployment in the population of indigenous peoples
(Friis et al., 2016). Due to low economic status they are unable to get vaccination due to high
price and lack of awareness about its usage.
Health issue in the community group
The major health issue is that there no treatment for the measles and influenza infection,
only vaccine is the option and is the best form of defence against the infection (Jent et al., 2018).
A study on the prevalence of the disease and infection in Australia, it was noted that millions of
Australian people are not vaccinated. They are at the risk of the increase disease which comprise
80% of indigenous people (Kedzierska, Van de Sandt & Short, 2018). Therefore, public attention
focused in improving the rates of vaccination. Government of Australia has given free adult
vaccine for the measles and influenza which has resulted in immunisation of the 51% older

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Australian (MacIntyre, et al., 2018). With commencement of policy of free vaccine for the
measles and influenza, health improvement has been noticed among the indigenous people. Only
13.8 % of people were at the risk factor for the infection (Walker, Newall & Heywood, 2016).
However, with amendment in the policy of removing the free measles and influenza vaccine to
the public and at risk groups will increase the prevalence of the infection in the population.
Other major issue noted in population of Australia is fewer adult and children are
vaccinated in the aboriginal populations (Crooks et al., 2018). By removing the free vaccine,
many of the people will remain unvaccinated and there will be spread of the infections in the
whole population of Australia as this is communicable infection (Navin & Largent, 2017).
Hence, there is the need to advocate on the issue to get the human right for free vaccine and
quality public health care.
Aim and objective of the policy
The major aim for the advocacy is the present the current scenario of the measles and
influenza infection in Australia targeting the aboriginal peoples. The main purpose of such action
is to present the influence of policy change of removal of free influenza and measles vaccine in
the community group of aboriginal who are At Risk Group. The primary objective is put forward
alternative policy option for better health status.
Impact of policy change in the community group
A number of cases related to the outbreak of measles and influenza virus has got
increased in many other countries. People who are not vaccinated against the disease are at the
risk of being infected when encountering infected person (Bödeker et al., 2015). It is to bring
into notice that in Australia the majority of the cases of measles and influenza infection are due