The federal Australian government is preparing to roll out a new, national immunisation program of significant scope. The plan is to dramatically increase vaccination use throughout the nation during the next five years. Federal Health Minister Mark Butler will deliver a speech outlining the strategy, which seeks to reduce vaccine hesitancy and improve access to immunisation for all Australians.
Among other things, the new initiative will look at establishing a no-fault vaccine compensation scheme. This program would be modeled after similar programs already in place across multiple nations including the United Kingdom, United States, Japan, South Korea, and New Zealand. This effort seeks to address concerns about vaccine safety and confidence, and help more people engage in vaccination programs.
Key Objectives of the Strategy
The national immunisation strategy 2021–2030 promotes ambitious targets to reduce the burden of vaccine-preventable diseases by increasing immunisation coverage. It continues to stress that vaccines are “overwhelmingly safe with very rare serious adverse events only.”
Butler underlined the importance of a potent tactic. He stated, “We will minimise the incidence and impacts of vaccine-preventable diseases by achieving and maintaining safe, effective, and equitable immunisation at high levels throughout Australia.” The federal government wants to make sure that all Australians — especially those living in vulnerable communities — get improved access to vaccinations.
The need to improve overall vaccination rates has been highlighted by the barriers presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. The recent data showed alarming inequities in vaccination rates among demographic groups. This is particularly the case for priority populations, including those with disabilities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, rural and remote populations, and CALD communities.
Enhancements in Data Tracking
Just as cool, the new strategy includes an interactive, real-time dashboard. This tool will provide the most up-to-date coverage data for all vaccines subsidised by the Australian government. This dashboard tracks other key factors such as age group and vaccines scheduled. It collects more granular data on dose level, socio-demographic information, including race & ethnicity, and pregnancy status.
This kind of robust data tracking will give public health officials the ability to track vaccination trends and respond to disparities in immunisation rates more quickly and efficiently. Kristine Macartney directs a national organization focused on immunization policy and practice. She emphasized the importance of knowing where the public is on vaccines. She warned that there are real issues to address. We really need to develop deeper collaborations with the public to communicate information, understanding—and close gaps in access or acceptance,” she said.
Community Engagement and Support
The federal government’s national immunisation strategy points to underutilised opportunities for better engagement with communities to increase vaccination uptake. Perhaps the most important takeaway from Macartney’s presentation is that we can’t lose sight of every person’s unique experience and path through the healthcare system.
She drove home the point that one need to look beyond the raw data and really understand an individual’s experience and journey through our healthcare system. In implementing these requirements, it’s important to ask whether their patients have the right information, access, and support to receive their vaccines.
Through a focus on co-creation, we’ll ensure that any information exchanged is user-friendly. Alongside that, we will make it relevant to the very different needs of communities right across Australia.
