Brian Rudman: For our kids' sake, we must tackle measles disgrace

A while back, my hairdresser confessed he'd had to ask one of his well-heeled customers to leave. She'd turned up with nits, passed on by a doting grandchild.

The barber is from Malaysia and was shocked at the ubiquitous presence of head-lice in this "world-class" city of ours. In his country they had ways of dealing with such problems. The health authorities would be informed and the kid banned from school until suitably deloused.

Looking at World Health Organisation statistics, we could learn a thing or two from our Commonwealth partner about protecting our kids from measles as well, an easily preventable curse currently poised to sweep through Auckland's youngsters, leaving much misery and suffering in its wake.

In 2007, 90 per cent of Malaysians were vaccinated against measles.

In New Zealand, only 80-85 per cent of youngsters are vaccinated by the time they get to school.

It's worse for preschoolers. As of March this year, only 76 per cent of 2-year-olds were fully protected.

The picture is much the same across the isthmus, the main variation being that Maori take-up in Auckland and Counties Manukau, at 64 per cent, lags 10-15 per cent behind their European and Pacific Island neighbours.

Immunology specialist Dr Nikki Turner says these low immunisation rates mean nearly 70,000 kids nationwide risk catching this highly infectious illness in the next few weeks. The present epidemic started in the South Island, with seven cases reported in May. The unofficial figure for July is over 100 and the illness has now erupted on the Auckland scene.

Why? That's simple. Our immunisation rates are, says Dr Turner, "among the lowest for any developed country". She's being kind. We lag behind most of the countries we refer to as Third World as well.

The latest WHO/Unicef data (2007) make embarrassing reading. Take countries that share our first letter. Nauru, that little dot in the Pacific, is 99 per cent vaccinated - up from 8 per cent in 2000. Nepal is 81 per cent - up from 56 per cent in 1995. Niue and Nicaragua are both on 99 per cent, Norway, 92 per cent. New Zealand, by comparison, was 79 per cent, steadily sliding backwards from 85 per cent in 2000 and 90 per cent in 1990.

Others at random: Pakistan 80 per cent, Bangladesh 88 per cent, Bhutan 95 per cent, Fiji 81 per cent.

We do pip Afghanistan on 70 per cent and Iraq on 69 per cent, but both these countries have been rather distracted by years of war.

Put plainly, it's a disgrace. Measles isn't a 24-hour discomfort. Almost all children with measles will experience a week or more of high fever, hacking cough, red eyes and a rash. In the last major epidemic in 1991 there were about 7000 cases and seven children died. For every 1000 affected, 100 will end up in hospital. There'll be ear infections, diarrhoea and pneumonia. And all preventable with a couple of jabs of the needle.

Meanwhile, our health authorities fight the threat with press releases, hoping the resultant publicity will frighten slack parents into taking their kids off to the doctor for the free treatment they need to be safe.

Given time is fast running out to avert the latest epidemic, I'm all for the health professionals hitting the school gates as soon as can be arranged, and jabbing everyone that moves.

That's certainly what the Australian authorities did back in spring 1998. They descended on every primary school in the country and offered a combined measles, mumps, rubella shot. Around 1.7 million, or 96 per cent of the kids between 5 and 12 years, were vaccinated in the campaign. Immunity to measles rose from 84 per cent before the campaign to 94 per cent.

According to WHO/Unicef figures, immunity to measles in Australia jumped from 68 per cent in 1985 to 87 per cent in 1995 and 94 per cent in 2007. The final leap was the result of positive Government action. In 1997, the federal Government launched the Immunise Australia, Seven Point Plan. There were both carrots and sticks. A non-income tested Maternity Immunisation Allowance of $308 was introduced to encourage parents to immunise their kids. It is paid in two instalments, to ensure the child gets both injections.

To encourage the backsliders, families applying for childcare benefits have to demonstrate their child's immunisation coverage is up-to-date before qualifying. Financial incentives were also offered to doctors.

The statistics show the campaign is working. For our kids' sake, it's time we did the same, and soon.