Despite State Government funding cuts to an important immunisation program, Greater Dandenong City Council will continue to advocate for better health outcomes for refugees and people seeking asylum.
Since it started in 2016 the PRIME (Program for Refugee Immunisation Monitoring and Education) service has resulted in vastly increased immunisation rates among refugees and people seeking asylum.
For participants enrolled in the program for 12 months or more, immunisation coverage was lifted from a baseline of 11% to:
- 92.5% for children
- 91.7% for adolescents
- 82.4% for adults
The service was offered across four key sites in Melbourne, including in Greater Dandenong where up until October 2023 more than 6400 people used the service.
In December 2023, just two weeks before State Government funding ceased, PRIME won a Multicultural Excellence Award for Health from the Multicultural Commission of Victoria.
Council fears the end of the program will place more stress on local GPs who don’t have the capacity to manage complex catch up programs and will result in lower immunisation levels for refugees and people seeking asylum.
Lower immunisation rates will reduce opportunities for children and families to have access to early childhood education, out of school care and family support from Centrelink. Adults may also lose employment opportunities if vaccinations are not up to date.
Lower immunisation rates can also pose a significant public health risk.
Greater Dandenong City Council and other key stakeholders continue to advocate to the State and Commonwealth governments for funding to continue.
In the meantime Council’s immunisation program is doing all it can to support catch up vaccinations for refugees and people seeking asylum in Greater Dandenong.
Newly arrived families can contact Council for advice about catch up services. Contact Council on 8571 1000 or visit the Immunisation webpage for more information.
