Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health
Volume 54, Issue 4, 2018, Pages 348-350

No jab, no record: Catch-up vaccination of children in immigration detention (Article)

Kiang K.M.* , Elia S. , Paxton G.A.
  • a Department of General Medicine, Immigrant Health Service, Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
  • b Immunisation Service, Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
  • c Department of General Medicine, Immigrant Health Service, Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

Abstract

International Health and Medical Services (IHMS) are contracted to provide health services, including catch-up vaccination, for individuals in immigration detention. Our audit of catch-up vaccination in asylum seeker children who spent time in held detention demonstrates inadequate and suboptimal vaccine delivery in this setting, and no evidence that IHMS recorded vaccines on the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register at the time. We also found substantial shortfalls in vaccination for these children after they were released from detention. Immunisation in this cohort falls well below Australian community standards, does not demonstrate assurance in IHMS provision of care, and has implications for similar asylum seeker cohorts nationally as well as people in held detention. © 2018 Paediatrics and Child Health Division (The Royal Australasian College of Physicians)

Author Keywords

Immigration detention Immunisation child Asylum seeker Vaccine

Index Keywords

male female Emigration and Immigration refugee vaccination Australia legislation and jurisprudence human Humans Refugees migration Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85040006498&doi=10.1111%2fjpc.13822&partnerID=40&md5=9343c4d4be923616a64d459ed707c72f
DOI: 10.1111/jpc.13822
ISSN: 10344810
Cited by: 1
Original Language: English