‘Great’ immunisation figures

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

The efforts of many in the health sector have resulted in improved rates of immunisation, says a Hauora Tairawhiti report.

The figures for June were ‘‘great’’and showed ‘‘the eight-month, two-year and five-year rates moving upwards again”.

“A lot of work continues with the immunisation sector to get good clear messages out to the community around the risk of whooping cough and measles.”

The immunisation rate for eight-month-olds was 86 percent overall and 84 percent for Maori, with an overall decline rate of 7 percent (13 children).

The equivalent figures for two-year-olds was 83 percent overall, Maori 84 percent and an overall decline rate of 10 percent (19 children).

For five-year-olds it was 88 percent overall, 86 percent for Maori and an overall decline rate of 8 percent (6 children).

“The increase in decline rates for two-year-olds are from the roll-on effect from the increase in declines for the primary course of immunisations that we had 16 months ago,” the report says.

“The increase in hours of an extra day per week in Outreach Immunisation Services (OIS) is starting to make an impact on the OIS waiting list and the eight-month immunisation rates.

“We have now started a programme for hard-to-reach children that have declined OIS and are not accessing GP services.“

B4 Schools (A free health and development check for your four-year-olds) has been completing immunisation events in clinics.

“The team has also been vaccinating other siblings that are behind in their immunisation schedule.

“Planet Sunshine (at Gisborne Hospital) has also started to do more immunisations on the ward and with outpatients.

“Ngati Porou Hauora have made great gains in their immunisation rates.

“A lot of work is happening behind the scenes from both the nurses and kaiawhina to make sure families are making it into the clinic’s for their tamariki immunisation events.”