The successful Meningococcal B immunisation campaign has resulted in a dramatic reduction in the number of cases Minister of Health David Cunliffe said.

Mr Cunliffe said the campaign had been such a success the Government had now received advice from clinicians through the Ministry of Health that a mass vaccination campaign was no longer needed.

Announcing the end of the immunisation programme this May the Mr Cunliffe said the number of cases being reported were rapidly declining after the peak of the epidemic in 2001 when 370 cases were reported .

”This has been a huge win for the New Zealand Public health system and a lot of the praise must go to the doctors, nurses, immunisation experts and Maori and Pacific providers who whole heartedly backed this immunisation programme.”

“We needed this vaccine because of the devastating toll this disease was taking in many New Zealand communities. It is now clear disease rates are at their lowest level in a decade,” Mr Cunliffe said.

“More then one million New Zealanders have now been immunised but it must be remembered this vaccine only protects New Zealanders from one strain of meningococcal disease. As a nation we must remain vigilant of the signs and symptoms of this potentially devastating disease.”

“The Ministry of Health will continue to assure monitoring the disease and they will reintroduce the vaccine if it is ever needed again “

The Minister of Health said that children under 5 who had only been given one dose of the Meningococcal B vaccine by June the 1st would be able to have their boosters provided they had them by December the 31st .

In 2004, the Meningococcal B Programme started immunising all New Zealanders under the age of 20 years. In 2006, extra funding was given to extend immunisations for pre-schoolers until mid-2009 if necessary.

Pneumococcal disease is now having a greater impact on the community, and the Government will make an announcement on plans to tackle this disease in the coming weeks.

More information:

• www.moh.govt.nz/immunisation