Maori infants not getting their jabs

Rates of vaccination against meningococcal B disease remain stubbornly low for Maori infants and for older teenagers.

The target of the Government's $200 million campaign is to vaccinate 90 per cent of people under 20 against the B strain, which has caused an epidemic since 1991.

In central Auckland, at least 80 per cent of children aged 6 weeks to 17 years have been vaccinated. The rate is 75 per cent for Pacific Islanders aged 6 weeks to 4 years, but just 39 per cent for Maori in this age group; and 30 per cent in the Auckland region for teenagers who have left school. Maori and Pacific infants are at greatest risk from the disease.

The low uptake by Maori under 5 is worrying, says the Auckland District Health Board's meningococcal B programme manager, Kathy Pritchard. The board is employing extra nurses and an additional community worker to try to reach them.

Reaching many Maori infants is hampered by their low rate of enrolment in primary health organisations.

The Health Ministry's director of the vaccination programme, Dr Jane O'Hallahan, said access needed to be improved for Maori under fives.

"We know that Maori are wanting the vaccine ... More Maori have consented for the vaccine through the school-based programme than any other ethnicity."

Nationally, 5 to 13 per cent of school pupils or their families have withheld consent for the vaccination.