Immunisation
Look How Far We’ve Come!
Celebrating 50 years of Polio Protection
Whatever Happened to Polio
?
Paralytic Poliomyelitis (polio) was the scourge of summer
times from the 1930’s until the 1960’s when huge
epidemics occurred every few years. Public Health Officials
regularly forced the closure of schools, cinemas and public
swimming pools up and down the country in an effort to stop
the march of this dreaded disease. Finally, Dr Jonas Salk’s
ground-breaking research in 1955 developed an effective vaccine. Click here to read more>>
New
Zealand National Immunisation Schedule from 1 February 2006
Immunisation is a vital
part of the Well Child Check
Research generally shows that issues around access to health care remain the biggest problem getting children fully immunised. The first response must be to try innovative approaches to improving access to Well Child services for our vulnerable children. This requires commitment, clarity of vision and resourcing.
A committed health professional can make more difference to immunisation rates than any other intervention.
Caregivers need full informed consent covering the diseases and the vaccinations when deciding on this issue.
In general parents are confident about immunisation, but there is a very small percentage of NZ families who are actively anti-immunisation. We have a short collective memory for the severity of these diseases and overemphasise the real, but rare, concerns over immunisation reactions. We all need to understand the science behind the evidence for immunisation, and not base actions on unsubstantiated anecdotes. A collective understanding of how scientific evidence is acquired will go a long way to understanding why immunisation is such a vital part of the Well Child Check.
Immunisation is one of the greatest public health success stories in history. Death rates have dropped by 3 million per year, and 750 000 fewer children are left blind, paralysed or mentally disabled. The basic vaccines available could save up to 2 million children still dying from vaccine-preventable disease every year - if every child were reached.
Whooping cough (Pertussis)
New Zealand is presently in the middle of a whooping cough epidemic. It is particularly dangerous for young infants. Delaying the first immunisation puts children at risk. START AT SIX WEEKS! Breastfeeding DOES NOT offer protection against whooping cough.
Measles
No more measles! In New Zealand this severe, highly infectious disease will be eradicated if immunisation rates can increase to above 90%.
In the 1991 epidemic seven people died of measles. An effective immunisation campaign in 1997, with over 500,000 doses of the MMR vaccine given, prevented over 95% of predicted cases. There were NO deaths and considerably less hospital admissions.
A further measles epidemic is likely soon because of our low immunisation rates. Mathematical modelling suggests that it may occur anytime from later 2000. It is difficult to know exactly when because national coverage figures may not be accurate. If enough children are immunised the next epidemic will be preventive.
Thanks to a triumphant global eradication campaign, polio is expected to follow small pox into extinction by the end of this decade. Lets make measles next.
(Reference: WellChild Health Prefessionals Booklet 2004)
Information regarding immunisation can be obtained from the Immunisation Advisory Centre and web site
Immunisation
Advisory Centre (IMAC)
University of Auckland
PO Box 17-360
Greenlane, Auckland
New Zealand
Ph 0800 immune (466863)
Fax 09 373 7030
Email 0800@imac.auckland.ac.nz
Click here for the National Immunisation schedule can be downloaded in pdf form… 
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