Listen Now: 
Download AudioThe Prime Minister is blaming misinformation rather than inequity in resourcing for low vaccine rates among tamariki Māori.
The gap between the general and Māori partial vaccination rates for 5 to 11-year-olds ranges from 6 per cent points in Tairawhiti to 26 per cent in Counties Manukau.
A Waikato University study published in this week’s New Zealand Medical Journal claimed failures in vaccine delivery were because authorities relied on current health services with a poor track record of equitable distribution rather than embracing Māori and other minority services.
Jacinda Ardern says the resources are there but misinformation is contributing to parent hesitation.
“We do have a responsibility to make sure everyone gets the information they need. We have a responsibility to make sure it’s accessible and easy. At the same time some of the tools that have been used for vaccination in the older population do not apply for children because it is up to parents’ consent,” she says.
RELATED NEWS
