National Immunisation Register
Latest data from the National Immunisation Register (NIR) shows 80% of New Zealand babies are fully immunised at 12 months of age.
It is the first time that immunisation coverage data from the NIR has been published. There are now more than 100,000 Kiwi children on the Register.
Dr Alison Roberts, Senior Advisor of Public Health Medicine says the National Immunisation Register is a computerised information system that stores the immunisation details of children born in New Zealand since December 2005. The NIR was implemented to improve immunisation coverage rates. The NIR helps health professionals keep track of the number of vaccines children may or may not have received, regardless of whether they move to different locations around the country.
"An 80% immunisation coverage rate gives us a baseline to work from. However, the national target is 95% of New Zealand children are fully immunised by two years of age. We do have a long way to go and the Ministry is continuing to focus on immunisation as a key health priority."
Dr Roberts says the NIR data varies by ethnicity, district health board (DHB) and deprivation index. For example, nationally at age one 85% of New Zealand European and Asian children were fully immunised; 77% of Pacific children were fully immunised and 71% of Maori children were fully immunised.
"It is important to note though that the NIR data shows immunisation coverage of children born in each DHB region after the NIR 'go live dates'. The NIR started on 18 April 2005 in Counties Manukau and Waitemata DHBS and the last DHB to 'go live' was Nelson Marlborough on 5 December 2005. Children born before the NIR went live in their DHB are not captured as part of the report."
"From now on, NIR data will be published every three months and will be available on the Ministry of Health website (http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/indexmh/immunisation-coverage-data). Publication of the immunisation coverage data provides information to monitor coverage rates and progress towards the immunisation coverage target of 95% of children fully immunised by age two years. New Zealand reports on immunisation coverage to international organisations such as the World Health Organization who may use the coverage data as a measure of child health in New Zealand", says Alison Roberts.
She says from January 2008, the NIR will report on immunisation coverage for two-year-old children for every DHB.
It is the first time that immunisation coverage data from the NIR has been published. There are now more than 100,000 Kiwi children on the Register.
Dr Alison Roberts, Senior Advisor of Public Health Medicine says the National Immunisation Register is a computerised information system that stores the immunisation details of children born in New Zealand since December 2005. The NIR was implemented to improve immunisation coverage rates. The NIR helps health professionals keep track of the number of vaccines children may or may not have received, regardless of whether they move to different locations around the country.
"An 80% immunisation coverage rate gives us a baseline to work from. However, the national target is 95% of New Zealand children are fully immunised by two years of age. We do have a long way to go and the Ministry is continuing to focus on immunisation as a key health priority."
Dr Roberts says the NIR data varies by ethnicity, district health board (DHB) and deprivation index. For example, nationally at age one 85% of New Zealand European and Asian children were fully immunised; 77% of Pacific children were fully immunised and 71% of Maori children were fully immunised.
"It is important to note though that the NIR data shows immunisation coverage of children born in each DHB region after the NIR 'go live dates'. The NIR started on 18 April 2005 in Counties Manukau and Waitemata DHBS and the last DHB to 'go live' was Nelson Marlborough on 5 December 2005. Children born before the NIR went live in their DHB are not captured as part of the report."
"From now on, NIR data will be published every three months and will be available on the Ministry of Health website (http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/indexmh/immunisation-coverage-data). Publication of the immunisation coverage data provides information to monitor coverage rates and progress towards the immunisation coverage target of 95% of children fully immunised by age two years. New Zealand reports on immunisation coverage to international organisations such as the World Health Organization who may use the coverage data as a measure of child health in New Zealand", says Alison Roberts.
She says from January 2008, the NIR will report on immunisation coverage for two-year-old children for every DHB.