The immunisation disaster

This data tells such a powerful story. There are four parts to it.

1. In June 2009 when National had just come in, immunisation rates were shocking. 1 out of 5 2 year olds were not fully immunised. 1 in 4 Maori kids not immunised
2. National lifted overall rates to 92% to 94%, the Maori rate to 93% and the most deprived decile rate to 95%. The unvaccinated went from 1 in 5 to 1 in 20 and for Maori from 1 in 4 to 1 in 14. Rates stayed fairly constant from 2011 to 2017.
3. After Labour dropped the health targets, the rates started to slip for Maori and the most deprived. Maori dropped to 88% and Decile 9/10 to 89%.
4. The last two and a half years have been a disaster with rates dropping to 67% for Maori and 73% for Decile 9/10. We’ve gone from 1 in 14 Maori kids unvaccinated to 1 in 3. We’ve gone from 1 in 20 Decile 9/10 kids unvaccinated to 1 in 4.

We need a Government that will make lifting the immunisation rates a priority.