Immunisation levels are the lowest they have been in decades, according to new research, and experts are calling for an overhaul of the system.
The completion of six month immunisations for Māori has dropped from 70 percent in 2015 to 54 percent in June 2021 (file picture). Photo: 123RF
The new research states the declines in childhood immunisation rates are leaving New Zealand children vulnerable to epidemics of diseases such as measles and whooping cough.
The research titled New Zealand's immunisation policy fails again and entrenches ethnic disparities was co-authored by Māori paediatrician, Dr Owen Sinclair and Professor Cameron Grant from the University of Auckland's department of paediatrics.
"The commentary is about the dire rates of Māori immunisations levels. The levels for completion of six month immunisations has dropped from a meagre high of 70 percent in 2015, to an extremely concerning level of 54 percent in June 2021," Dr Sinclair said.
"Myself and a group of other concerned paediatricians were worried that this low level of immunisations could lead to a lethal disease spreading, and if that happens it's going to be Māori that will front the brunt of it."
He wrote the research many months ago and has since been involved with several committees to try increase the levels of immunisation.
He said the decreased number is not because of vaccine hesitancy.
"All the research in New Zealand shows Māori are not hesitant to get the vaccinations done. There are real barriers to getting vaccines. Even though they are free you have to get there at a certain time, sit and wait, during work hours. The system is Pākehā dominated and it waits for people to come to them."
Dr Sinclair said the way to fix this issue is to change the system.
"It needs to be responsive to the needs of the people. The ideal system would take the immunisations to Māori. Whether we can achieve that in the current system, we don't know. But I hope the upcoming health reforms will address some of these issues.
"It's a real opportunity to have a Māori health authority who can look at these issues with a Māori lens and say this isn't good enough our tamariki are missing out.
"If it doesn't change it could cause tamariki to die from preventable diseases."
He said these sorts of statistics make him angry.
"People have just observed this discrepancy and just watched it happen and do nothing about it. There are some people like me and my co-author who have tried to do something about it but people are just ignoring it."