In a recent announcement, the Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA) and the Australian Medical Association (AMA) said that the Australian Government must urgently increase supplies of Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) and ensure they are available to everyone for free, not just select groups.

“It’s an essential tool for communicable disease control,” PHAA CEO, Adjunct Professor Terry Slevin, said. “We cannot diminish the incredible work of our public health and healthcare workers across the continent by letting market forces decide who can afford to get and use RATs during this health emergency.”

With the recent easing of COVID-19 restrictions in Australia, companies have been looking forward to having their staff back at the workplace. Workers echo the sentiment. However, with the unexpected advent of Omicron, these plans might be put on hold, unless organisations are able to provide access to a safe workplace, one that meets healthcare standards essential to having the workforce back in the office.

Two of the biggest essentials is a vaccination mandate, along with frequent testing to limit and to the extent possible, eliminate, any potential spread of the virus at the workplace. With businesses already starving to see their growth graphs become stable and head towards recovery, keeping costs under control remains a crucial factor before they can welcome back their workforce. Such controlled costs for RATs, will enable businesses to provide access to a sense of safety and security and a health-first workplace to its workforce as well.

Such equity in healthcare becomes even more critical for frontline workers, who irrespective of the severity of the virus outbreak, are required to perform their work as usual. In addition to essential workers and workplaces, beyond workplaces as well, RATs continue to play an essential role in a pandemic “that is looking increasingly out of control.” 

The PHAA and AMA added, “Equity matters – as it does for every aspect of public health. The people most at risk from the pandemic are often least able to afford RATs, if they can find any. Everyone has the right to access RATs, not just those who can afford it, nor the insatiable desires of retailers who have the unusually close ear of government.”

Highlighting the soaring case numbers, Dr Omar Khorshid, President, Australian Medical Association said that the benefits of these tests – like wearing a mask and washing your hands – are for others in the community, not just the person taking the test.

“There’s no time for piecemeal measures, like targeted subsidies which might be difficult to implement. We need to harness the goodwill in the community to use RAT kits and free access for everybody. Health care workers, including GPs and their staff, need urgent priority access to RAT kits in order to keep working and providing health care to the public.”

With the end to this crisis nowhere in sight, it’s high time nations recognise the need to fast-track equitable access to healthcare. The situation is no longer about co-existing with the virus while taking necessary precautions; COVID-19 is not over, and while vaccinations appear to curtail the extent of impact for many, early detection remains crucial to safeguard the lives of people. 

Ensuring equitable healthcare remains crucial to saving lives as well as ensuring a healthy workforce that remains capable of sustaining businesses and accelerating economic recovery and growth as well.

Image credit: irishtimes