Immunization coverage in the Netherlands as at 1 januari 2004

This report describes the progress of the National Immunization Programme (NIP) in the Netherlands. Immunization coverage figures as at 1 january 2004 are presented for all vaccines used in the NIP for agecohorts born in 1993, 1998 and 2001.For years national immunization coverage in the Netherlands has been excellent. For 2004 national coverage levels for all vaccines used increased and exceeded 95% for the first time. The slow but steady decrease in coverage for infants reported since 1996 has been restored to a level of coverage exceeding 97%.Although high national immunization coverage can mask variations within country, regional and municipal immunization coverage also improved over the past year. All provinces reported over 90% immunization coverage for all vaccines used and municipal immunization coverage levels below 60%, previously observed each year, were not reported.Areas with low immunization coverage are - once again - concentrated in the so called 'Bible-belt' where groups of orthodox reformed people live who refuse vaccination for religious reasons.In spite of the progress made for the past year under review, joint efforts are still needed to obtain and sustain high immunization coverage. Particularly because it is already known that immunization coverage for the birthcohorts following 2001 was negatively affected by the massive attention paid to the introduction of the new DTaP-IPV-Hib vaccine by the media. Continuous attention and joined efforts of all parties engaged in the NIP will be needed to ensure that the population of the Netherlands is well educated and motivated to have their children immunized.In dit rapport treft u de cijfers aan van de vaccinatietoestand in Nederland per 1 januari 2004 voor zuigelingen, kleuters (4-jarigen) en schoolkinderen (9-jarigen) van de cohorten 2001, 1998 en 1993.De vaccinatiegraad in Nederland is al jaren zeer goed te noemen. Het afgelopen verslagjaar is de vaccinatiegraad voor alle vaccinaties - behalve voor DTP schoolkinderen - toegenomen. De lichte daling van de vaccinatiegraad bij zuigelingen sinds 1996 heeft zich hersteld. Met name de meest kwetsbare groep zuigelingen (97%. De landelijke entpercentages zijn voor het eerst alle boven de 95% en voldoen hiermee ruim aan de WHO-normen. Ook op provinciaal en gemeentelijk niveau is het beeld over het algemeen gunstig. Alle provincies voldoen aan de norm van minimaal 90%, bovendien komen op gemeentelijk niveau vaccinatiepercentages