Australia unveils $1.6b health package to curb COVID-19

This includes setting up of pop-up fever clinics and an advertising campaign.

Australia’s healthcare expenditure is tipped to grow 5.3% in 2020 as the government unveils a $1.6b health package to combat coronavirus, according to Fitch Solutions. Government health expenditure is also projected to climb 5.7% over the same period.

The health package proposes setting up fever clinics and offering cost-free facilities for people to consult doctors over video calls. This includes up to 100 new pop-up fever clinics, a $19.3m (A$30m) advertising campaign on mitigating the impacts of coronavirus, and a Medicare item for telehealth consultations.

Some of the new clinics will be established in existing practices, whilst others will be set up as standalone pop-up centres. Existing clinics will receive an initial $96,963 (AUD150,000) to set up and to help offset losses from normal business.

This aims to divert people with mild or moderate symptoms away from emergency departments and general practice (GP) clinics to reduce the risk of the virus spreading, although severe cases will still be brought to hospitals.

Health Minister Greg Hunt also called for the government to increase resources for pathology testing and to respond to concerns from GPs about access to medical supplies such as face masks and protective equipment.

A further $16.1m (A$25m) will be allocated for Australians to order their Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) prescriptions online and have them delivered. The national triage helpline will also be extended to operate 24/7.