6. MARYAN STREET (Labour) Link to this
to the Minister of Health
What progress has been made on protecting young New Zealanders from the meningococcal B disease?
Hon PETE HODGSON (Minister of Health) Link to this
Very good progress. One million young New Zealanders have now received their first dose of the meningococcal B vaccine. Over 77 percent of all school students have now received all three doses.
What effect has the vaccination programme had on the meningococcal B epidemic, especially in those parts of the country where the roll-out occurred first?
The first part of the country to receive the full course of vaccinations was Counties Manukau. In the first 9 months of last year there were 17 cases amongst preschoolers in Counties Manukau. In the first 9 months of this year there were two. That is a very clear sign that the campaign will succeed. Many thanks go to many people such as health workers, schoolteachers, staff, parents, and many others who have made this campaign the huge success it has been so far.
In the light of the Minister’s last answer, what has been, in fact, the involvement of schools in ensuring the success of this campaign?
Vaccinating our young people in schools across the country has been a major effort. The campaign has involved 2,600 schools, 750,000 students, and the cooperation of tens of thousands of staff members to whom I again pay my respects and give my thanks.
Hon Tony RyallDoes the Minister realise that a year since the programme began nationally, in November 2004, 40 percent of under-5-year-olds have still not yet been fully vaccinated, including 60 percent of Māori kids under 5; are not those children the most at-risk young New Zealanders, and what is he going to do about that?