Population Health Queensland

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Communicable Diseases Branch

The Communicable Diseases Branch is responsible for surveillance, prevention and control of communicable diseases in Queensland. This includes policy, legislation and operational management. In particular, we focus on immunisation, preventing disease spreading from person to person and preventing disease spreading from animals to people. This involves a variety of disease control methods including:

• antibiotic prevention
• hygiene and other infection control methods
• ensuring food is free of organisms that cause disease
• barrier methods such as condoms for sexually transmitted infections
• control of animals that carry disease such as mosquitoes
• monitoring elements of waste management, water quality and emergency management that relate to communicable diseases.

Key functions

• Lead the statewide planning and coordination of programs and services to prevent or control communicable diseases.  These programs include pandemic and biosecurity planning.
• Give expert advice to the Minister for Health, the Director-General and other parts of Queensland Health, and other key client groups (including general practice). We also represent Queensland Health on national and state groups related to communicable diseases.
• Develop policies and guidelines to control communicable diseases in Queensland.
• Carry out the statewide surveillance of a range of communicable diseases.  This includes monitoring trends, detecting outbreaks that require a response and monitoring to make sure that disease control activities are effective.
• Lead the investigation and control of disease outbreaks that are statewide, wide-ranging or significant.
• Manage the information systems that monitor those diseases that are legally required to be notified to the state and that record immunisations and vaccine use. We also coordinate the timely distribution of information from these systems.
• Coordinate and manage the purchase and distribution of vaccines across Queensland.
• Give expert input into the development and review of relevant legislation.
• Provide training to a range of stakeholder groups on the prevention and control of communicable disease.
• Take part in research and development programs that improve service planning and outcomes for communicable diseases.

Contacts

Telephone: +61 7 3328 9724 or +61 7 3328 9728
Facsimile: +61 7 3328 9782
Postal address: PO Box 2368, Fortitude Valley BC Qld 4006
Street Address: 1st Floor, 15 Butterfield Street, Herston Qld 4006

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