BCG Clinics now available at Mookai Rosie!

In great news, BCG Clinics for Torres and Cape children will be held at Mookai Family Health the first Friday of every month!

Clinics are being facilitated in partnership by Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service and Mookai Rosie Bi-Bayan, led by Amanda Bywaters (BN, GDIP, MPH), Clinical Nurse Consultant, Tuberculosis Control Unit.
The BCG (bacille Calmette-Guérin) vaccine is used for prevention of tuberculosis (TB). The vaccine contains a weakened form of the bacteria (germ) that cause TB. Because it is weakened, it doesn’t cause TB in healthy people but it helps develop some protection (immunity) against TB.

BCG works best in babies and young children and is particularly effective at preventing severe forms of TB including TB meningitis with greater than 70% protection.

In Queensland, BCG vaccination is recommended for the following groups:

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander newborn babies
Children aged less than 5 years who will live in Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander communities for a period of 3 months or more
Children aged less than 5 years who will be travelling to TB high risk countries for a period of 3 months or more
As the BCG vaccine is rarely available in community clinics up North, availability of these clinics are invaluable for Torres and Cape children in the Cairns region.