Govt responds to immunisation report

The Government wants to ensure every New Zealand child has the chance to be protected against preventable diseases, Health Minister Tony Ryall announced today.

Immunisation is one of the Government’s six Health Targets. Currently an all-time record 90 percent of New Zealand two-year-olds have had all the recommended immunisations. The Health Target is 95 percent by July 2012.

The Government today released its response to the Health Select Committee’s recommendations for increasing New Zealand’s immunisation rates to levels that stop outbreaks of infectious diseases like measles.

“The vast majority of parents, about 90 percent, support immunisation. About 5 percent make a deliberate choice not to immunise. That leaves a group who haven’t made a decision, haven’t got around to it, or more worryingly, haven’t seen a doctor. These are the parents we need to reach.

“This is not about making immunisation compulsory. This is about making sure every New Zealand child has the opportunity to be immunised and parents making an informed choice,” says Mr Ryall.

"Some of the select committee’s recommendations endorse work which is already underway to build parents’ trust in immunisation and make it easier for parents to get their child immunised on time.

Other proposals, such as looking at incentives for parents and health professionals and providing more information, particularly about reactions and adverse events following vaccination, will be investigated by the Ministry of Health.

Officials will report back to the Minister of Health by 31 March next year.

A copy of the response is available at:
http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/PB/Presented/Papers/6/d/4/49DBHOH_PAP21651_1-Government-Response-to-Report-of-the-Health-Committee.htm