Vaccine plan hits low target

Taranaki’s health bosses are defending the region’s position at the bottom of the Covid-19 vaccination table, saying they have delivered what they promised.

As of Tuesday, the Taranaki District Health Board (TDHB) had vaccinated 8.26 out of 100 people, the lowest rate in the country. The national average for the same date was 17.8 per cent, while Nelson/Marlborough had the highest vaccination level at 28 per cent of its population.

After Taranaki’s 8.26 per cent, the next least vaccinated health district was Waikato at 13.95 per cent. Whanganui, Taranaki’s regional neighbour, has a vaccination rate of 23.55 per cent.

Earlier this week, 8873 people had been vaccinated in Taranaki, which was ahead of the 7 per cent target the TDHB had set itself.

However, that target of 7 per cent of the population by the end of June is, like the vaccination totals, the lowest in the country.

Stephen Parrish, the senior officer responsible for the vaccination programme in Taranaki, said that when the DHB’s initial target projections were made, the 7 per cent figure was decided by what they knew they could deliver in terms of resources available at the time.

‘‘We did not want to make promises to the people of Taranaki that we could not keep. And we have kept our promises by delivering what we said we would, and more, each week.’’

Initial projections put Taranaki at about 8000 vaccinations administered at this stage, but they had now achieved more than 10,000, he said.

‘‘We did not exceed our weekly targets to the level that some other DHBs have done because we were aware that we needed to

‘‘I think we have been conservative and made sure we have stuck to our target, and now we can ramp it up.’’

Glen Bennett MP for New Plymouth

increase our volumes against vaccine availability nationally.’’

Taranaki’s rest homes are being vaccinated as part of Group 2, and so far 600 people have been vaccinated out of 1100 residents in 26 rest homes, Parrish said.

‘‘We are visiting six homes this week [to administer first and second doses] and we are confident that the vast majority of residents in Taranaki will be fully immunised by the end of July.’’

The programme is now moving into Group 3 and is ready to ramp up the numbers considerably, as soon as the vaccine stocks allow.

In line with the Government’s aim, the intention remains to offer the Covid-19 vaccine to every eligible person in Taranaki by the end of the year.

Taranaki DHB chief executive Rosemary Clements said setting up and delivering a programme of this size and intensity took a team of skilled and dedicated people. ‘‘I am proud of the mahi that the Taranaki team has done to deliver our community a safe and effective vaccine against Covid-19.’’

At a press conference yesterday, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said targets were set for planning purposes and many DHBs were overperforming, which was good. But while there was a tight supply of vaccines, it would help if the DHBs stuck to their plans, she said.

‘‘We want to reduce down the overperformance,’’ Ardern said.

The MP for New Plymouth, Labour’s Glen Bennett, said the DHB was hitting its targets.

‘‘The good news was, last week, the Pasifika roll-out, which was really successful.

‘‘I think we have been conservative and made sure we have stuck to our target, and now we can ramp it up. I am happy to talk to the DHB about how do we now ramp it up. We can lead the way.’’

Bennett said he had been hearing about people who are not part of the designated group getting vaccinated in New Plymouth because there had been vaccine left over after people who had appointments had not turned up.

Taranaki-King Country MP Barbara Kuriger said she was getting inquiries all the time from those who could not get vaccinated.

‘‘I refer them to the Labour MP. The Government is doing the roll-out and we are not being told anything.’’