10. Question No. 10—HealthDr SHANE RETI (National—Whangarei) to the Minister of HealthQuestion No. 10—Health10. Dr SHANE RETI (National—Whangarei) to the Minister of Health: Does he stand by all his actions and policies around meningococcal disease and the current meningococcal vaccination campaign?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK (Minister of Health): Yes and in particular the targeted vaccination campaign in Northland which started yesterday with the vaccination of 1091 people on the first day. I do note that there have been a total of seven meningococcal W cases in Northland this year. When the clinical test for an outbreak was reached and declared on 8 November the ministry Pharmac and the district health board (DHB) all moved quickly to a response. Matt King: How will he further resource Northland DHB's vaccination campaign following reports yesterday that parents were told not to turn up as the queues were too long?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: I'm not clear that people were told not to turn up by authorities but I am not surprised there was a big demand yesterday for the vaccination centres and I'd expect similar today. It is understandable that parents want their children to get vaccinated as quickly as possible. The DHB has carefully planned this programme and has started in the biggest population centres first. It will reach smaller communities in the second and third week of the campaign. I'm advised Northland DHB is telling the community it has plenty of vaccine available for the target groups and the risk of contracting meningococcal disease remains low. Dr Shane Reti: Did Pharmac's immunisation subcommittee discuss a vaccination programme incorporating meningitis W in May this year?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: To the best of my knowledge no because no community outbreak from meningococcal disease had been triggered in May. I note further for the record that in June of this year there was not a single case in New Zealand of meningococcal W disease. The member has raised a lot of fear about two isolated cases in Northland in April this year that caused some concern and clinicians to communicate with each other which is entirely appropriate. There has been a close watch on this because although there have been only seven cases this year in Northland the potential consequences of a case are significant. That's why they did move quickly following 8 November when the clinical test for an outbreak was triggered; people moved quickly to make sure the response was in place. Dr Shane Reti: Which members of Pharmac's immunisation subcommittee if any have lobbied Pharmac for a meningitis W vaccination programme before the community outbreak was decided?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: I am not aware of that. If the member has information on a particular lobbying campaign for meningococcal W vaccine before an outbreak was declared that's interesting. I'm willing to look into the matter for the member; he can be in touch. But what I would say is that there were conversations around the country. This is a serious disease when it strikes. It's as I say very rare. There were no cases in New Zealand at all in June this year but when it does hit it's a serious disease. That's why clinicians were talking to each other when they saw even isolated cases earlier this year and that's why when it became apparent that there was something that met the community outbreak definition a definition long relied upon by Governments of different stripes when that was triggered—albeit a low bar—they moved swiftly from 8 November onwards to a response.Dr Shane Reti: Is the Minister saying that the monthly surveillance data for April and May did not declare meningitis W cases?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: That's what I am saying—not an outbreak. I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I just want to be clear; I may have misheard the member's question. Could he repeat the question?SPEAKER: We'll ask him to ask it again.Dr Shane Reti: Is the Minister saying that the Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd's monthly surveillance data from April and May was not declaring meningitis W cases?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: I did mishear the member so I am glad we're asking the question again. There were cases in April and May and a community outbreak was not triggered. There were two distinct individual cases in Northland and that did not reach the clinical definition of an outbreak. I'll read it again for the House just so that we can be clear. The definition of a community outbreak of meningococcal disease is three or more confirmed cases of the same strain within a three-month period that are not linked and are within a specific age group or community group and the rate of disease is at least 10 cases per 100000 people. That clinical definition was not triggered until 8 November whereupon a swift response ensued. That is the definition that's been relied upon by previous Governments by previous Ministers of Health—National Ministers of Health as well. It is I am convinced the right threshold. When it was triggered I am delighted that there was a swift response.