Since August, five immunisation outreach clinics have been held in Hawke’s Bay for RSE scheme workers who have recently arrived in New Zealand from the Pacific to work in the horticultural sector.
Over the past six months, 1205 RSE workers from Fiji, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu have been given the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine in the Hawke’s Bay alone.
Project lead, Pacific Health Central regional director, Sipaia Kupa says it’s important to protect these workers and their families back home from another potential measles outbreak and to prevent an outbreak in New Zealand too.
“Measles is one of the most dangerous and contagious diseases,” Kupa says. “If you and your whanau aren’t immunised or aren’t sure, now is the time to check. This is the only way to stop you getting measles.”
The risk of a measles outbreak in New Zealand is currently considered high due to low immunisation rates both nationally and internationally.
In 2019, a measles outbreak in Samoa saw over 3% of the population infected with the disease, resulting in 5,700 cases and 83 deaths.
Director of Pacific public health, Api Poutasi says the initiative is an example of collaboration between teams from Health NZ, the horticulture and viticulture industries, government agencies and Pacific non-government organisations such as Taeaomanino Trust.
“Vaccination is the best protection against measles,” Poutasi says. “This initiative is part of our broader efforts to protect populations that are at-risk of contracting measles, this includes groups like RSE workers but also our tamarki/children.”
The immunisation team was made up of health practitioners from Hawke’s Bay Public Health, Hawke’s Bay Pacific Hospital Specialist Service team and the Pacific Regional Community Hub (PaRCH).
Similar clinics have been run in Bay of Plenty, Wairarapa, Marlborough, Nelson, and Northland as part of this National Public Health Service (NPHS) led, and Pacific Health managed initiative.
Nelson-Tasman, Marlborough and Bay of Plenty are currently planning for RSE worker arrivals in early 2025.
