ĀKINA #2 MEASLES – URGENT ATTENTION TO IMMUNISATION Date:
December 2022
Authors:
Dr Rawiri McKree Jansen and Leanne Te Karu
For your:
Advice and Information
Approved by
Dr Rawiri McKree Jansen
Issue of concern: Measles vaccination rate is dangerously low. Childhood immunisation rates have fallen below the level required to protect against outbreaks of measles.1 Children’s Children’s Commissioner Judge Frances Eivers has called Te Aka Whai Ora to action a rapid response from the health sector to equitably deliver childhood vaccines 2. The Aotearoa/NZ measles outbreak in 2019 led to hundreds of admissions to hospitals, and very fortunately no deaths. The outbreak was transported to Samoa where a lower immunisation rate was associated with tragic results. The MMR immunisation rate for Māori in Aotearoa/NZ is dangerously low, and the overall immunisation rate is below that required for herd immunity. The Immunisation Schedule of PHO Services Agreement 3 articulates the aim of 95% of children aged 2 years being fully immunised, and additionally requires opportunistic immunisation to casual users of primary health services.
Advice Primary care practitioners should urgently urgently focus on under-vaccinated tamariki Māori who have the lowest immunisation rates in Aotearoa, and Pacific babies whose rates lag behind too. 1. PHO Clinical Directors and Primary Care Clinical Leaders should urgently ensure that every practice has correctly identified children who are incompletely vaccinated, and prioritise these whanau with appropriate communications, offer suitable vaccination times and additional support to access vaccination services. 2. Primary care practitioners should ensure there are only enablers and no barriers to immmunisation e.g. it is unacceptable to discuss overdue accounts when tamariki are presenting or appointments are being made.
Monitoring 3. Te Aka Whai Ora will continue to monitor immunisation rates. 4. Te Aka Whai Ora will work with HQSC to review and publish immunisation rates at regional and district levels, and also at PHO and practice levels. 5. Practitioners should audit their own practice, record additional communications efforts with whanau of incompletely immunised children, and refer appropriately to outreach services. Lifting childhood immunisation rates is our top priority, and is an important part of a broader programme of work underway between Te Aka Whai Ora and Te Whatu Ora. We will provide an update next month.
Dr Rawiri McKree Jansen Chief Medical Officer (interim)
Dr Leanne Te Karu Pharmacist Advisor (interim)
1
Johnson R, Proactive immunisation for Māori tamariki will save lives, GP Pulse 3 August 2022 https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/130677063/warning-over-spike-in-diseases-as-childhood-immunisation-falls 3 https://tas.health.nz/assets/Primary-psaap-u14/PHO-Services-Agreement-Version-6.4-1-July-2022-62780136.1.pdf 2
Practitioner Advice Information Notice , Te Aka Whai Ora Dec 2022