Delisting the seasonal influenza shot
Monday, 26 September 2011 10:28
The New Brunswick Nurses Union (NBNU) wishes to respectfully submit their comments on the recent Department of Health’s proposal to delist the seasonal influenza vaccine for high risk people between the ages of 18-64. We submit that this change could be a costly initiative in the future and we are concerned with the direction the government is taking on this very essential program for our most vulnerable population. Saving $600,000 today would have much higher cost implications from resulting emergency visits and hospital admissions.
Read full letter to Health Minister Dubé (September 23, 2011 PDF)
People with chronic illness are a greater risk of complications if they contract the flu, which could be more expensive for the health care system in the long term.
The high risk group includes patients with: diabetes, cancer, lung disease, and pregnant women. Flu vaccines are a very important and cost effective intervention, especially for this group. The benefits are so glaringly evident!
Influenza vaccines can reduce hospitalization by 40%. We already know that 72% of New Brunswickers over the age of 18 are living with a chronic condition. Seventy four (74%) of adults age 18 and older reported a chronic condition with arthritis, high blood pressure and asthma being the most common. We also know that people with chronic illness are linked to higher utilization of health care services.
It is a well-known fact that the majority of hospital stays are also being used by this high risk group. They are our highest users of the health care system! As reported in the government’s document “Improving Access and Delivery of Primary Health Care Services in New Brunswick” (November 2010), the elevated percentage of persons in New Brunswick with co-morbid chronic conditions suggests that they will require more access to health care services in the future.
This vulnerable group and the elderly are particularly at risk of suffering severe complications and death from influenza viruses. Between 2000 and 8000 Canadians can die every year from the flu, including 100-150 in New Brunswick.
NBNU is further concerned that eliminating this program would create a two-tier system of care in New Brunswick. Only those who can afford the flu shots will get it. If this flu shot is not available to everyone, then we are not exercising that very preventative measure that New Brunswick is seeking in its Primary Health Care Program, and the number of deaths will subsequently increase. We believe that this initiative strongly opposes the guiding principles of the government’s proposed model of collaborative care which focuses on keeping the population healthy through preventative measures.
Minister Dubé has said: “…the challenges we will face at the beginning will be offset by a greater quality of life for all New Brunswickers and reduced health care costs” (New Release, March 29th, 2011). Cutting this program would save just over $600,000.00, and would decrease the quality of life for the high risk people between the ages of 18-64; increase health care visits and hospital stays; and would simply impose another burden on our already strained health care system. NBNU believes that the impact on the quality of life on this very vulnerable group is a high price to pay.
NBNU further agrees that New Brunswick’s healthcare system must move from an illness system where diseased and injured patients are treated, to a preventative wellness system where keeping people healthy predominates. Perhaps a more appropriate course of action would be concentrating our cost saving efforts by implementing a national prescription drug insurance plan, or perhaps exploring a national vaccination strategy?
New Brunswick’s influenza vaccine strategy is cost efficient; it is equitable, and has been proven effective. Changing it would be inexcusable! It certainly would not be our best shot at fixing our present health care system.
