Page 17 - FSANZ AUTUMN -2023

Emergency response to NZ flood event
Wild storms and flooding had catastrophic consequences on the north island of New Zealand
Widespread flooding in Auckland in January restricted access to IVF clinics for some patients.
Soon after, cyclone Gabrielle caused major disruptions across the North Island with catastrophic outcomes in the Hawkes Bay region. Eleven fatalities resulted from this extreme weather event.
Simon McDowell from Fertility Associates in Wellington, who is the NZ representative to the FSANZ Board, reported that communication networks in Hawkes Bay were disrupted for between one and three days with no telephone or internet contact between clinics and patients.
Some patients were also unable to attend their IVF clinics for procedures or have access to pharmacies, laboratory and radiological facilities.
“In New Zealand, patients undergoing privately funded treatment pay for medications themselves without any insurance contribution,” Simon explained.
“Being unable to proceed with IVF because of the weather induced restrictions potentially exposed some patients to costs running into several thousand dollars.
“Doctors initiated specific plans for each affected patient once lines of communication were restored and a COVID approach was adopted with the waiving of fees, for example if an IVF cycle had to be abandoned before egg collection.
“The recent extreme weather episodes highlighted the need for efficient disaster planning and management as mandated by the Reproductive Technology Accreditation Committee. This includes contingency planning for communication breakdowns and the protection of embryos in laboratories.
“Climate change means that significant weatherrelated disruptions may be more common in the future, so clinics should regularly review and update contingency plans.”
Simon McDowell
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