Conference tackles Hepatitis B and Measles

Conference tackles Hepatitis B and Measles (8-12 March)

Thursday, March 4, 2004

Media advisory

Conference tackles Hepatitis B and Measles (8-12 March)

Pacific immunisation managers will be in Auckland next week to discuss how their countries can work towards controlling measles, hepatitis B and other vaccine-preventable diseases.

Two leading World Health Organisation experts on immunisation and health promotion, Dr Ken Chen and Dr Yang Baoping, will be attending the conference and will be available for interviews.

Measles remains a leading cause of vaccine preventable death among children internationally. Measles vaccine was introduced in New Zealand in 1969, and the last epidemic, in 1997, was limited in its extent by immunisation.

More than a third of the world?s Hepatitis B carriers live in the Western Pacific; the disease is responsible for about half the region?s preventable deaths. New Zealand has offered the vaccine to all infants from 1988.

The EPI-WPRO conference is hosted by the Ministry of Health, in association with the Extended Programme on Immunisation, Western Pacific Offices of the World Health Organisation.

Meetings have historically been held in Fiji. New Zealand?s Ministry of Health is hosting this meeting because of the mutual importance of immunisation in both the Pacific and in New Zealand.

When: March 8-12th 8am-5pm

Where: Heritage Hotel, Hobson St, Auckland

ENDS

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