tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
The Ministry of Health says it will not fund a national vaccine of meningicoccal C, despite a coroner's call for an investigation into a publicly funded vaccination programme against the disease.
ONE News was told today by Ministry of Health Chief Advisor Child and Youth Health Pat Tuohy that a national programme is not necessary.
"Every death is a tragedy but over the whole of New Zealand putting in an immunisation programme for [meningococcal C] is still not beneficial in our view," Tuohy said.
Coroner Brandt Shortland called for a review following a report into the death of 22-year-old medical student Zachary Gravatt in 2009.
Gravatt died after being taken to Auckland City hospital with flu like symptoms on July 8. His condition declined rapidly and the pressure on doctors dealing with the swine flu outbreak meant he was not diagnosed with meningococcal until several hours had passed.
In July this year the hospital apologised to Gravatt's family, with Auckland District Health Board's chief medical officer Dr Margaret Wilsher offering the board's apologies for "shortcomings" in it's care of Gravatt that had been identified.
In his report Shortland urged the Ministry of Health to review as soon as possible the benefits of a publicly funded vaccination programme for the disease, a process that would include consultation with the public.
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http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/call-nationwide-meningococcal-vaccination-rejected-4502471
ONE News was told today by Ministry of Health Chief Advisor Child and Youth Health Pat Tuohy that a national programme is not necessary.
"Every death is a tragedy but over the whole of New Zealand putting in an immunisation programme for [meningococcal C] is still not beneficial in our view," Tuohy said.
Coroner Brandt Shortland called for a review following a report into the death of 22-year-old medical student Zachary Gravatt in 2009.
Gravatt died after being taken to Auckland City hospital with flu like symptoms on July 8. His condition declined rapidly and the pressure on doctors dealing with the swine flu outbreak meant he was not diagnosed with meningococcal until several hours had passed.
In July this year the hospital apologised to Gravatt's family, with Auckland District Health Board's chief medical officer Dr Margaret Wilsher offering the board's apologies for "shortcomings" in it's care of Gravatt that had been identified.
In his report Shortland urged the Ministry of Health to review as soon as possible the benefits of a publicly funded vaccination programme for the disease, a process that would include consultation with the public.
..
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/call-nationwide-meningococcal-vaccination-rejected-4502471