Summary
- TCHHS is among the highest in the state in child immunisation rates for First Nations children.
- Scores high for uptakes of the Year 7 HPV and the Diptheria, Whooping Cough and Tetanus vaccine.
Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service (TCHHS) has scored among the state’s highest for school vaccination consent and uptake.
The 2024 Annual Report for the Queensland School Immunisation Program (SIP) has revealed high scores for TCHHS for the uptakes of the Year 7 Human Papillomavirus Vaccine (HPV) and the Diptheria, Whooping Cough and Tetanus (dTpa) vaccine.
TCHHS scored an 80 per cent update of dTpa vaccine and 77 per cent for HPV; leading the state in both categories.
The report also highlights that TCHHS has topped the Health Service leaderboard for vaccination consents, with 96 per cent recorded for HPV, 99.1 per cent for dTpa and 97 per cent for both the menACWY, and menB immunisations.
These results stand despite an overall decline in parental consent since 2019.
“TCHHS can hold itself in good stead with these results that have been achieved despite an overall decrease in parental support for childhood vaccination in Australia,” Dr Coates said.
“We can’t take our eye off the ball when a growing number of parents have expressed doubt about the importance and safety of immunisation despite vaccines being a safe and effective means of preventing disease.”
Some results did show a gap in dose uptakes.
“Unfortunately, there is statewide gap between doses for the MenB vaccine,” Dr Coates said.
In Queensland more than 11,000 students returned consent forms for MenB but were not immunised by the end of the 2024 school year, the first in which the vaccine was rolled out as part of the SIP.
“TCHHS has shown quite a steep drop off between doses,” Dr Coates said.
“However, these results are very helpful as it shows where we can focus in the future to address these gaps.”
The report has reinforced earlier trends reported by the Office of the Chief First Nations Health Officer, where TCHHS was among the highest in the state in child immunisation rates for First Nations children and exceeding the statewide average and exceeding those of other Queenslanders at the two and five year age mark.
“Overcoming barriers to health equity starts at an early age and these results show that our holistic approach combining the work of remote PHCCs, outreach teams and school health checks are having a positive effect,” Dr Coates said