The Meningitis Foundation Aotearoa New Zealand says a
university student who contracted meningococcal disease
while living at a hall of residence in Christchurch could
have been vaccinated had Pharmac and Te Whatu Ora moved more
quickly.
The organisation is urging all eligible
people – particularly those living in halls of residence
in their first year of tertiary study – to seek
vaccination for both meningococcal B and the ACW & Y
strains of the disease.
On 1 March 2023, Pharmac began
funding the meningococcal B vaccine (Bexsero) for all
children up to 12 months of age (with a relevant catch-up
programme), and for people aged 13 to 25 years who are
entering into or in their first year of
specified close-living situations (with a
limited catch-up programme).
The
criteria are the same as those for existing meningococcal
ACW&Y vaccine, which is also free to eligible
groups.
The Meningitis Foundation’s chair, Gerard
Rushton, says it is the third such case of meningococcal in
Canterbury this year, and follows on the back of a 71.5%
rise in cases in 2022 (compared with the previous year). He
says that the Government must move quickly on two fronts,
firstly to drive uptake, and secondly to widen
access.
“Firstly, we must move quickly to drive
uptake of vaccines for both the ACW & Y strains, and for
meningococcal B. It is an imperative that we protect our
rangatahi,” says Gerard.
“Secondly, we must make
access to both meningococcal vaccines, as well as the
pneumococcal vaccine, free for all young people. We have
already voiced our concerns, both publicly and directly with
Te Whatu Ora, about the late rollout of an awareness
campaign targeted at eligible age groups. Sadly, this case
demonstrates a lack of a robust and targeted awareness
programme.”
Gerard says the implementation date of
funding for the meningococcal B vaccination came far too
late, missing the commencement of the academic year for
universities and secondary schools. He says the increasing
number of cases highlights that the eligibility criteria are
not fit for purpose and must be extended to all 16-year-olds
before they leave school.
“We’ve missed the boat,
really. Aotearoa New Zealand has signed up to a World Health
Organisation roadmap to defeat meningitis by 2030, and yet
we continue to see policy measures that
underperform.
“It is clear that first year students
in halls of residence aren’t aware they are eligible to be
vaccinated for free – we are missing a step here. The best
way to achieve higher vaccination rates is to extend the
eligibility criteria to all young people under
25.”
Gerard says the Meningitis Foundation urges all
university students in their first year living in a hall of
residence to get their free vaccinations for all strains of
meningococcal disease.
“We urge you to reach out to
your university’s health provider for more information.
Meningitis is deadly. Protection through vaccination is
free, and it will save your life.
“At the same time,
we urge Pharmac to widen vaccine access to protect all
rangatahi and tamariki.”
About the
Meningitis Foundation – Aotearoa New
Zealand
Founded in 2010 and administered by a
six-strong Board of Directors, the Meningitis Foundation
Aotearoa New Zealand strives to educate New Zealanders and
raise their awareness of pneumococcal and meningococcal
meningitis, promoting its prevention and control
by:
- providing timely, accurate and credible
information and educational resources to the general public
and healthcare professionals - providing a forum for
friends and families affected by meningitis to connect and
share their stories for mutual support and ongoing awareness
of the reality of the disease - being an active voice
to support public health policy and the introduction of
further vaccines to high risk groups - supporting an
increase in vaccination rates to improve New Zealand’s
record for protecting
children.
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