Staff from the Communicable Disease Control Directorate set up stalls at NAIDOC week celebrations last month to raise awareness in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) people about the importance of childhood vaccinations and vaccination timeliness.
Immunisation Project Officer Rebecca Carman teamed up with Aboriginal Health Workers Catherine Bolton and Kerry Griffiths to promote the importance of vaccination against hepatitis B, pertussis, pneumococcal, hepatitis A and influenza – and advertise the Aboriginal Health Team’s services in the community.
Ms Carman said Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) people often had greater rates of vaccine-preventable disease than non-ATSI people.
“Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children experience vaccination delays to the recommended immunisation schedules more than non-Aboriginal children,” she said.
“These delays are particularly concerning with vaccines such as pertussis, which at the earliest can be given when a child is six to eight weeks of age.
“Also, vaccine-preventable diseases may worsen pre-existing chronic disease in both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people, potentially resulting in a lifelong impact.
“Raising awareness of the importance of vaccination timeliness and addressing the health needs of ATSI people is a high priority.”
The events took place in Belmont and Bassendean in line with the areas identified as having low ATSI childhood vaccination coverage rates in 2016.