The Meningitis Foundation Aotearoa New Zealand says that
this afternoon’s announcement from Pharmac, that it is
proposing to partially fund vaccination for the deadly
meningococcal B strain, does not go far
enough.
Pharmac is currently seeking comments on its
proposal to fund the meningococcal B vaccine from 1 March
2023 for:
§ children up to 12 months of age, and a
catch up programme for children from 13 to 59 months of age
(inclusive) to 31 August 2025
§ people aged 13 to 25
years who are entering into or in their first year of
close-living situations, and a catch up programme for people
this age who are already living in close-living situations
to 28 February 2024.
In its oral submission to the
Health select committee tomorrow, the Meningitis Foundation
is seeking the Government’s support to protect all of the
country’s rangatahi, and its most vulnerable
groups.
Their plan is to make the meningococcal B
available to the same narrow group eligible for the existing
ACWY vaccine – those entering into or in their first year
of close-living situations.
The Meningitis
Foundation’s chair, Gerard Rushton, says that, while
he’s glad Pharmac are proposing to partially fund
vaccination for one of the deadliest strains of
meningococcal disease, it was unlikely to have a material
impact.
Pharmac’s proposal, he says, also completely
misses the two most significant at-risk groups, Māori and
Pasifika within this age range.
“This is a huge
oversight. Vaccination rates amongst these groups must be
prioritised, given that 70% of cases so far this year have
presented within these groups. The risk posed to these
groups is completely missing from Pharmac’s proposal,”
says Gerard.
“The commencement of the programme in
March 2023 would also miss the commencement of the academic
year for tertiary institutions. If implemented, the
commencement date must be brought forward, so that parents
can have peace of mind that their children are
protected.”
The Meningitis Foundation says that,
while it is great that there will be some protection among
13-25 year olds in close living situations, there are many
others within this age group who will be missed, such as
those living in share houses, or multigenerational homes or
those who choose not to undertake any form of tertiary
education.
“The existing programme has a low overall
community awareness, and even more concerningly it has low
awareness from medical professionals, which is vital in
educating people that they are eligible to receive the
vaccine. Vaccination rates set by the Government for the
ACWY vaccine have failed to reach their target.” says
Gerard Rushton.
“It was under this same programme
earlier this year that saw Pharmac allow $1.7 million worth
of meningitis vaccines to go unused and be close to expiry.
The criteria for the meningococcal B vaccine are the same as
those for the wasted vaccines.”
“Any widening of
access MUST be supported by a high-profile awareness
campaign by the Ministry of Health. People need to know
they’re eligible, and that a vaccine is available,” he
says.
The Government has already committed to
defeating meningitis by 2030, as a signatory to the
Defeating meningitis by 2030 global road map at the
World Health Organisation’s World Health Assembly in
November 2020. Despite that, says Rushton, little progress
seems to have been made in the last two years.
He says
that, while the Foundation commends the potential inclusion
of a meningococcal B vaccine in the childhood vaccination
programme, today’s announcement will not enable to meet
its commitment to the World Health Organisation’s
goal.
The Foundation’s board is currently in
Wellington, in preparation for their presentation to
Parliament’s Health select committee
tomorrow.
Rushton says he is disappointed that Pharmac
decided to release the funding proposal announcement the day
before the Foundation was due to make its oral submission to
the committee without first talking to the
Foundation.
The Foundation says that protection
through vaccination should be available to all rangatahi,
not just a select few.
Background
In March
2022, the Meningitis Foundation presented a petition to Dr
Shane Reti, National Spokesperson for Health, signed by
6,357 New Zealanders. The petition urges the Government to
fund both meningococcal vaccines for the most common strains
of meningococcal disease – the B and A, C, W, & Y
strains – for all 16-year-olds before they leave
school.
The Foundation will be making an oral
submission to Parliament’s Health committee tomorrow. The
submission is a critical component of the Foundation’s
campaign calling on Parliament to make two currently
available vaccines, which cover the most common strains of
meningococcal disease, free for all young
people.
There have already been 55 cases of invasive
meningococcal disease reported in New Zealand so far this
year, including several deaths. Seventy per cent of those
cases are Māori and
Pasifika.
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