Latest news with #NPHS
RNZ News
5 days ago
- General
- RNZ News
Public Health leaders' appointment in Australia a surprise to staff
Dr Caroline McElnay was Director of Public Health for New Zealand during the Covid-19 pandemic, and during it gave regular public health briefings (like this one from 2022), alongside politicians or other health figures. Photo: Pool / NZME The announcement top public health official Dr Caroline McElnay has been poached by Australia has taken colleagues by surprise at the National Public Health Service. The Victorian State Government has appointed her its new Chief Health Officer. McElnay was one of the prominent public faces frequently seen in updates given through the Covid-19 pandemic. The former Director of Public Health for New Zealand, Dr McElnay had started a new role, as Clinical Lead Immunisation at the NPHS in December, on 2 December 2024. Immunisation staff told RNZ they first learned of her impending departure though a public statement by the Victorian State Government. National Public Health Service (NPHS) Director of Prevention Alana Ewe-Snow said the management team was aware of her resignation prior to the announcement in Australia. "Caroline has made an outstanding impact in her time with NPHS," Ewe-Snow said. "We wish her all the very best in her new role, starting in August 2025, as Victoria's Chief Health Officer" Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
27-05-2025
- Health
- RNZ News
Public health response to Auckland measles case stood down
The original measles case is no longer infectious and out of isolation, the National Public Health Service says. Photo: RNZ /Dom Thomas Health officials have stood down the public health response to measles, after no further cases were detected about two and a half weeks since a first case in Auckland was identified. The case linked to overseas travel was reported to the National Public Health Service (NPHS) on 10 May, prompting health staff to contact 290 people identified as close contacts. The original case had visited a number of locations, with the earliest exposure event dating back to 3 May. One hundred and sixty five of the close contacts identified were asked to quarantine as a precaution. NPHS said in a statement on Tuesday that it now had good reason to stand down the response. "With the original case no longer infectious and out of isolation, and with the last few of the 165 people in quarantine now released with no further cases detected, NPHS is confident the risk from this case is low," said the agency's medical officer of health, Dr Emma Sherwood. "We remain ready as always to swing into action again should any new cases emerge," she added. Measles is highly contagious and up to 90 percent of non-immune people (those who have not been vaccinated or have not already had it) will be infected if they are exposed to the virus. About 80 percent of New Zealanders are immune - well below the 95 percent coverage needed to prevent an outbreak. Dr Sherwood said the recent case was a timely reminder of the critical importance of getting vaccinated against measles. "Immunisation is particularly important for infants, young children and adults born between 1969 and 2004, many of whom are likely to have had only one dose of the vaccine, "And, with this recent case being acquired overseas, we continue to urge anyone travelling internationally to make sure they're up to date with their MMR vaccine," she said. Dr Sherwood said they would like to thank everyone across who has played a part in ensuring that exposures related to the Auckland case did not result in a large outbreak. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
1News
11-05-2025
- Health
- 1News
New measles case in Auckland, locations of interest released
Health New Zealand has confirmed a new case of measles has been identified in Auckland, linked to overseas travel. The person and their household is being supported by National Public Service (NPHS). In a statement, Health New Zealand said those who are non-immune are now in quarantine to help reduce the chance of spread of the highly contagious disease. "The person with measles has travelled recently to Asia where they are thought to have caught the virus but was not infectious while flying home. There are a number of public locations in Auckland where the person has been while infectious. "Measles is a serious and highly infectious illness so people should check their immunisation status and follow public health advice." The NPHS asked people who were at these locations during the times to check their immunisation status. "You are considered immune to measles if you have proof of two doses of the MMR vaccine. People born before 1969 or have evidence of having measles previously are also considered immune."
NZ Herald
23-04-2025
- Health
- NZ Herald
Vaccinations: $1 million Plunket scheme vaccinates fewer than 100 babies in five months
However, Whānau Āwhina Plunket chief executive Fiona Kingsford said she was proud of the progress made since signing the contract in October with the National Public Health Service (NPHS). 'We're learning a lot in terms of setting up and working with [the] NPHS to ensure we've got the right systems and processes and equipment and processes in place and things like that. So we're pretty confident that as we start to move forward, the progress will speed up.' There were now five sites operational – in Whangārei, Kaikohe, Taumarunui and Hamilton (where there are two) and plans to open five more by the end of June – in Whanganui, Paeroa, Taihape, Te Awamutu and Masterton. Six 'cold chains' had been established to deliver vaccines safely, eight nurses had been trained and 33 were in training. Kingsford said more than 76 children had now been immunised – but the actual number was not the point. 'This is a pilot, we're learning by doing, so we're identifying which models work. So we don't have direct figures of what we need to hit, it's about being able to track that, and seeing what is working in each community,' she said. 'The point here is that we are trying to focus on the 20% who are vaccine-hesitant, or who have chosen not to vaccinate in the past. So it is a challenging area to focus on.' Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora said the Plunket programme was about 'expanding' the vaccinator workforce and reaching whānau and their pēpi (babies) who were not enrolled with a GP or were otherwise struggling to 'access' immunisation. However, Kingsford said the fact that all but one child vaccinated by Plunket before March 17 was enrolled with a GP did not suggest it was missing the mark – rather, it could point to its success. 'As we are working through with these immunisations, we are also promoting and ensuring that people are enrolled. 'So I'm not surprised by that stat.' The Government target is for 95% of 2-year-olds to be fully vaccinated by 2030, with an interim target of 84% coverage by June 2025. In the three months to the end of December, it was 77% – and lower still for Māori (63.5%) and Pacific babies (68.8%). Plunket has previously been criticised for falling short on providing services for Māori, Pacific and disabled communities. Advertise with NZME. Kingsford said 9% of Māori babies had dropped out of the service by the age of 2, compared with 5% overall – most commonly to transfer to another service. 'Plunket sees 45,000 babies each year, and within that we see nearly 60% Maori and 77% of Pacific, so we do definitely have a strong market connection,' she said. 'We are really committed to ensuring we're delivering services in a culturally appropriate and relational way, and have worked to boost the rate of Maori and Pacific nurses and kaiawhina [helpers] in our workforce.' However, Plunket was not a kaupapa Māori service, she said. 'There are 60 other providers of Well Child services and there should be choice, so we help to facilitate to make sure that transfer happens.' Plunket's aim with the immunisation pilot was to support and complement the work of other providers, she said. 'We know we're not 'the solution' but for us, it's every door is the right door for whānau. 'If we've got a trusted relationship with those whānau and we can work with them to become immunised, that's a win/win for everybody.' Kingsford said the country's largest Well Child provider aimed to have 20 immunisation sites running by the time the pilot finishes at the end of June next year. 'We're really proud of the fact we're stepping into this space, immunisation rates are far too low and we all need to be working together to address this.' The $1 million contract was awarded to Plunket under a special exemption to the Government procurement rules – which meant it did not go through an open tender process. Pilot in 'early stages' – Health NZ In a written response to RNZ, the National Public Health Service deputy director, Matt Hannant, said the pilot was 'still in its early stages', but with over 400 clinics nationwide, Plunket was well-placed to provide childhood immunisations. 'We are tapping into their already existing infrastructure and trust in communities right across the country,' Hannant said. 'It is the only Well Child provider with this size and reach, which enables the flexibility required to work collaboratively with Health NZ to assess and adapt services to where they're needed.' There would be regular monitoring of progress, which would give a better idea of uptake as more sites were established. 'Given Whānau Āwhina Plunket's existing infrastructure and trust in communities right across Aotearoa, we do expect to see more infants and children able to access immunisations through their Whānau Āwhina Plunket nurse. The focus will be on those who aren't enrolled and/or accessing immunisations through primary care,' Hannant said. The Immunisation Taskforce recommended increasing the vaccinator workforce and enabling Well Child Tamariki Ora providers to vaccinate, so Plunket's proposal 'aligned' with that, he said. In fact, Plunket was one of the few Well Child Tamariki Ora providers that was not already funded to do immunisations. Support from expert Immunisation Advisory Centre medical director, Dr Nikki Turner, said it made 'good sense' for Well Child providers like Plunket to offer immunisations, as successive reports had recommended over the years. 'The problem is these things take a long time to set up, to embed, to change and they do take a lot of money,' Turner said. 'So I absolutely support this initiative and we should continue. 'On the other side, we absolutely need to support the existing services alongside that.' In December 2023, the Government also committed $50m over two years for Hauora Māori providers to help lift immunisation rates.
