Source: New Zealand Ministry of Health
Immunisation is a highly successful public health intervention. It safeguards individuals, whānau and communities against a range of potentially devastating diseases, and is a critical way of preventing and controlling infectious disease outbreaks. An accessible and effective immunisation system maximises immunisation uptake and coverage, improving the health of the population and enabling pae ora – healthy futures.
The Strategic Approach to Immunisation in New Zealand 2025–2030 (the strategic approach) provides a renewed vision and strategic direction for the immunisation system for the next five years. It incorporates key lessons learned from our experience during the COVID-19 pandemic, and sets out high-level objectives and goals for the immunisation system to better protect individuals, whānau and communities against vaccine-preventable diseases.
The strategic approach acknowledges that people have different needs and so individuals require different approaches to improve immunisation outcomes. It recognises the impact of social, economic, environmental and other factors on immunisation coverage, and focuses on working in partnership with stakeholders to address inequities in vaccination coverage and to achieve a highly effective immunisation system.