News from Australia

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The West Australian: Perth GP Jane Ralls who has long-Covid blasts ‘poor and uneven’ medical support for fellow sufferers in WA

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Were doctors not prepared, or were they rather primed to ignore the symptoms of post viral conditions after decades of denial and gaslighting by BPSers of ME/CFS and related conditions?

 

Press release:
The Australian Government is investing nearly $14.5 million into research to improve our understanding of the impacts of Long COVID on individuals, the community and the Australian health system.
https://www.health.gov.au/ministers...p/media/15-million-in-research-for-long-covid

 

Dave Clark's article is not bad, but the whole thing reeks of a need to put a positive spin on disability.

 

While there's some problematic stuff about exercise and rehab (mainly from Todd Davenport), there's a good section on the harmful Australian guidelines:

The journalist is on X:
https://twitter.com/user/status/1802121197364420959

 

Todd Davenport regularly Tweets against the idea that exercise is helpful for ME/CFS.Perhaps what was written isn't clear enough, he is specifically stating that exercise is only recommended in specific cases, not universally.

 

ABC: 'Not everyone who uses a wheelchair is paralysed. This is what ambulatory users want you to know'

"It's a similar story for Kate Pern, an ambulatory wheelchair user who lives with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), a debilitating multi-system illness that gets worse the more you try to push through it.

Many ambulatory wheelchair users, such as Kate, have dynamic disabilities, which means their ability to be active can be different day-to-day.

Kate is 'predominantly housebound' and uses her non-powered chair in situations where a friend can help push her along.

The 36-year-old said being able to remain seated while out of the house prevented her from overexerting herself and ending up 'even more disabled'.

Essentially, it's given her parts of her life back."

"Many ambulatory wheelchair users report being judged, stigmatised or accused of faking their disabilities to cheat their way into support.

Shae said she was regularly accosted at accessible car parks when standing up from her wheelchair to transfer into the car driver's seat.

She's been grunted and stared at, had her car window knocked on aggressively, and been told to leave accessible parking spots 'for those who really needed it.'

'People often assume that someone who can walk should always walk,' Shae said.

Prejudice around who 'should' and 'shouldn't' use a wheelchair often leads to many ambulatory users to develop impostor syndrome."

"But then someone said to me, 'do you know what? People who don't need wheelchairs don't fantasise about using one'."

 

Australian Human Rights Commission:
There have been many different experiences of Australia’s COVID-19 response measures. Share yours at https://loom.ly/s9s-a_Y Submissions close Sunday 30 June. #AusHumanRights #humanrights #emergencyplanning #Australia