PM OUTRAGED 15-MONTH-OLD DENIED VACCINE

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says it is ‘‘outrageous’’ a toddler was refused a measles vaccination in Auckland before heading back to Samoa.

‘‘The fact we didn’t assist one child in New Zealand when we are giving vaccines to Samoa to vaccinate feels nonsensical to me,’’ Ardern said.

The Health Ministry warned all health providers to offer children vaccinations regardless of immigration status and confirms a new shipment of vaccines arrived in the country last week.

Ardern’s comments follow RNZ reports about a 15-month-old Samoan boy who had been visiting New Zealand. He stayed with his godparents because his parents did not want him returning to Samoa during the measles outbreak.

His godfather, Mark Wendt, said an Auckland clinic refused to immunise the toddler because he did not have a New Zealand passport. Wendt has since taken the toddler back to Samoa.

Ardern said she would be asking questions.

The New Zealand Ministry of Health has confirmed all children under 18 are eligible for publicly funded immunisations, regardless of citizenship or immigration status in New Zealand.

A spokesperson said the ministry had emailed health boards, public health units, GPs and others yesterday reminding them that children under the age of 18 are eligible for the MMR vaccination regardless of immigration status. ‘‘The vaccine is free to all eligible people.’’

The ministry was confident there were enough vaccines for all priority groups, including children.

‘‘Last week 85,000 doses of MMR [vaccines] arrived and a further 70,000 will arrive in January.

These vaccines are in addition to the more than 340,000 which have already been distributed in 2019, in comparison 150,000 MMR vaccines were distributed in 2018.’’

Despite global constraints on the supply of MMR vaccine, Vince Barry, chief executive of primary health body Pegasus Health, said he was not aware of any MMR supply shortages.

At least 60 people have died in the recent measles outbreak in

Samoa, while 4052 measles cases have been reported in the country since the outbreak started.

In New Zealand, 2144 confirmed cases of measles have been reported across the country since January 1. Of these confirmed cases, 1708 were in the Auckland region.

Alison Hill, Pharmac’s director of engagement and implementation, said demand for vaccines since the measles outbreak had been exceptionally high. In an average month, New Zealand uses around 12,000 doses of the MMR vaccine, while the total number distributed this year averages about 30,000. At least 3000 MMR vaccines have been sent to Samoa.

‘‘The national store usually holds three months’ worth of stock. However, since the Canterbury outbreak last year, we have changed that level to the equivalent of eight months,’’ said Hill.

She said in addition GSK, the contracted supplier, had brought forward deliveries planned for later this year and next year, and made greater volumes available to New Zealand. ‘‘Further orders are being placed for future delivery that mean New Zealand will see increased stock levels and deliveries through 2020.’’

The actual quantities ordered were determined by estimates of how many people might need to be vaccinated to manage the outbreak, in conjunction with how many doses the vaccine manufacturers were actually able to allocate to New Zealand from their global supplies.

Nelson nurse and New Zealand Red Cross volunteer Andrea Chapman is on the frontlines – her team climb into a van and travel to rural areas, vaccinating as many people as they can.

"Every day we’re looking at the figures and watching the death toll rise – it’s devastating.’’

‘‘The fact we didn’t assist one child in New Zealand when we are giving vaccines to Samoa feels nonsensical.’’ PM Jacinda Ardern