Asian Kiwis Are Not Important Enough For Vaccines
“Children of Asian descent have reportedly been denied a measles vaccination because they were not Māori or Pasifika.
National list MP Melissa Lee told Parliament during question time that she had been contacted by a Mt Albert resident, a friend of the family, who said their 5 and 8-year-olds were turned away by a doctor on Monday.
Have you had a similar experience? Email Jason.walls@nzme.co.nz
Lee said the children's mother had offered to pay for the vaccinations but told her the doctor declined to provide them because Māori and Pasifika children were the priority.
Many clinics have been forced to ration vaccinations in the past few weeks as the number of confirmed cases continues to rise daily and stocks ran low. While DHBs agree children under 4 are a priority there seems to be different positions when it comes to ethnicity .
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Lee was shocked at the incident and said all children should be equal when it comes to getting vaccinations.
"Well it seems they're not, if they happen to be Asian."
The family did not want to speak to the media, but the family friend sent an email to Lee about her experience.
Associate Health Minister Julie Anne Genter – the Minister in charge of the Government's response to the measles outbreak – told the Herald she was not aware of this specific case.
"The guidelines which have been issued by the Ministry and District Health Boards are quite clear that the childhood immunisation schedule should be maintained – it has nothing to do with ethnicity."
Associate Health Minister Julie Anne Genter comforting her son Joaquin as a nurse prepares to give him his MMR injection in Wellington. Photo / Mark Mitchel
When it comes to specific cases, such as the one outlined by Lee in Parliament, Genter said ultimately it would come down to the specifics of the clinics.”
MP: Asian children refused measles vaccination as they weren't the priority https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12268886 via Instapaper
National list MP Melissa Lee told Parliament during question time that she had been contacted by a Mt Albert resident, a friend of the family, who said their 5 and 8-year-olds were turned away by a doctor on Monday.
Have you had a similar experience? Email Jason.walls@nzme.co.nz
Lee said the children's mother had offered to pay for the vaccinations but told her the doctor declined to provide them because Māori and Pasifika children were the priority.
Many clinics have been forced to ration vaccinations in the past few weeks as the number of confirmed cases continues to rise daily and stocks ran low. While DHBs agree children under 4 are a priority there seems to be different positions when it comes to ethnicity .
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Lee was shocked at the incident and said all children should be equal when it comes to getting vaccinations.
"Well it seems they're not, if they happen to be Asian."
The family did not want to speak to the media, but the family friend sent an email to Lee about her experience.
Associate Health Minister Julie Anne Genter – the Minister in charge of the Government's response to the measles outbreak – told the Herald she was not aware of this specific case.
"The guidelines which have been issued by the Ministry and District Health Boards are quite clear that the childhood immunisation schedule should be maintained – it has nothing to do with ethnicity."
Associate Health Minister Julie Anne Genter comforting her son Joaquin as a nurse prepares to give him his MMR injection in Wellington. Photo / Mark Mitchel
When it comes to specific cases, such as the one outlined by Lee in Parliament, Genter said ultimately it would come down to the specifics of the clinics.”
MP: Asian children refused measles vaccination as they weren't the priority https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12268886 via Instapaper
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