Yesterday's health problems

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 272, 31 January 1989, Page 13

Yesterday's health problems

The problems of yesteryear will become the problems of tomorrow if effective levels of protection through immunisation are not maintained, warns the Plunket Society.

A large percentage of the community has forgotten or never experienced the crippling effects of poliomyelitis or the heart wrenching sounds as a child, stricken with diptheria or whooping cough, struggles desperately to breathe. Plunket assists in ensuring young children receive all the necessary vaccinations so these diseases are no longer evident within our community. However, new mothers are beginning to question the need for immunisation against what appears to be the bye-gone problems. According to the Plunket Society a young baby is not born with immunity against disease and is susceptible to infection at any stage. The situation has been exacerbated by recent misinformed views on the meningococcal meningitis and hepatitis B immunisation programmes. This resulted in a large percentage of the population losing faith in the meningitis programme and missing the follow up booster. The Plunket Society firmly believes that the media has a responsibility in educating the public on how these diseases effect children. It is not uncommon for a young child to experience a reaction following an innoculation and this can often be identified as a sign that the young body has begun producing its own defence system. An enormous input this year from groups

such as Maori and Pacific Island welfare organisations working alongside health professionals has ensured that over 90 per cent of the highest risk groups received their first hepatitis B injection. Plunket's medical health director, Dr Ian Hassall states the real success of these programmes can only be measured once these groups have received the full immunisation programme and the incidence of hepatitis B is significantly reduced. "It places a heavy time burden on professional and supporting groups to ensure that there is not a large drop off in numbers at second, third and fourth vaccination stage," he says. A young child builds immunity gradually and four injections over a 12 to 15 month period are required for preschool age children to be fully protected. Hepatitis B, meningitis as well as

poliomyelitis, diptheria and whooping cough are all potential

killers and immunisation for children under five is free.