National has branded the government's two-year $20 million measles catch-up campaign as a failure that can't solely be blamed on Covid-19.
Only 23,500 out of the targeted 300,000 received their measles vaccine. Photo: 123rf
Figures show from the government's 300,000 target, around 23,500 people received the jab which makes up only 7 percent of its vaccination target between the ages of 15-30 years old.
National health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti said the programme was doomed to fail from the start with promotional material taking three months to arrive.
Covid-19 wasn't the major reason the programme wasn't successful, he said.
"It certainly had an influence but it is not the key factor. The key factor to this campaign are delayed promotional material, yes Covid, $8 million of vaccines being allowed to expire and then a complete distraction of health reforms resulting in a very, very poor return for the taxpayer," said Reti.
The data showed only 28 Māori in Tairāwhiti received the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination during the government's two-year campaign.
These numbers were very concerning, Reti said.
"We know there were thousands in this target group... this programme actually received specific funding for equity adjustment, particularly to target Māori and yet in Tairāwhiti a high-risk area - 28 people over two years - that is a failure."
More than 2000 people caught measles in the 2019 outbreak and 700 were hospitalised.
Immunisation coverage at six months of age has fallen in New Zealand from a high of about 80 percent in early 2020 to 67 percent by June 2022, and as low as 45 percent for Māori.
The government could have reached more people if they gave the MMR vaccine alongside the COVID-19 jab, Reti said.
"It alludes me why when that information was available, why when we had 15-30-year-olds receiving the Covid vaccine, why we didn't join them together and so these are the sorts of things we would have done in our hands to make sure we got a much better result for people so they could be protected from measles and for the taxpayer so that their hard-earned money could get a really good health outcome," said Reti.
RNZ has approached Health Minister Andrew Little for comment.