Wounds Australia is calling for Australia’s ‘hidden affliction’ of chronic wounds to be recognised as a serious health issue this Wound Awareness Week – with the number of sufferers set to soar as Australia’s population ages.

Melbourne resident John Cocomello is calling for Australians to recognise the serious risk of chronic wounds during Wound Awareness Week, after he nearly lost his leg when a scratch became infected. Running from 16 to 20 October, Wound Awareness Week is drawing attention to Australia’s ‘hidden affliction’ of chronic wounds, which are wounds that won’t heal or recur. Nearly half a million Australians a day suffer chronic wounds, costing the health system around $3 billion each year.

Wounds Australia is calling on the Australian Government to take action and reduce the out of pocket costs of wound care. During Wound Awareness Week, which runs from 16 to 20 October, Wounds Australia will draw much needed attention to the cost of chronic wounds. Few people are aware that chronic wounds are a serious health issue, impacting nearly half a million Australians a day and costing the health system $3 billion annually. The number of sufferers, and associated costs is expected to soar due to Australia’s ageing population, as older people aged 65+ are most at risk.

Wounds Australia has released a new publication to support healthcare professionals apply aseptic technique in wound care to assist in preventing infections.