By CLARE MASTERS and EDITH BEVIN
The Daily Telegraph (Australia)
Copyright 2006 Nationwide News Pty Limited
All Rights Reserved
NSW paramedics may soon be armed with precautionary medication to administer to suspected meningococcal cases as part of a state-wide review.
The overhaul comes as a Central Coast family deals with the death of their three-year-old son -- the state’s second fatal case in 10 days.
Callan Fitzpatrick suffered a heart attack while being taken from his Bonnells Bay home to Wyong Hospital on Monday, after his family alerted ambulance officers to his deteriorating health about 1pm.
The boy, who was suffering gastric-like symptoms, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and a fever, was pronounced dead on arrival.
Authorities are also investigating an outbreak in Sydney’s north after three cases were reported since July.
The Victorian Ambulance Service introduced the life-saving antibiotic in 2004 and the initiative has already saved lives.
But NSW ambulances do not carry the precautionary medication, which could potentially have saved meningococcal victims Jihan Nassif -- who was attended to by paramedics -- as well as Callan.
Jihan’s father Tony Nassif said Premier Morris Iemma had finally contacted him last week, but only after being shamed into doing so by The Daily Telegraph.
Mr Iemma refused to apologise to the 18-year-old’s family until the outcome of an investigation was known.
Mr Nassif would not comment on the conversation, but said he understood the inquiry into Jihan’s death was ongoing.
International research published in the British Medical Journal in June found pre-hospital penicillin given to children with meningococcal disease was advantageous.
The Meningitis Research Foundation, which funded the study, found "[for] a high proportion of patients with suspected meningococcal disease treated with pre-hospital antibiotics, the effect was beneficial”.
A spokesman for the Ambulance Service of NSW said the Government was currently reviewing whether to roll out the medication in NSW ambulances.
“The issue is quite complex, with no uniform position being taken by ambulance services worldwide, as there are a number of issues for and against pre-hospital intervention,” he said.
“Meningococcal disease affects approximately two in 100,000 people, Victorian Ambulance is carrying antibiotics whereas NSW and Queensland currently don’t.”