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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 30 Oct 1958

Vol. 171 No. 3

Ceisteanna—Questions. - Poliomyelitis: Incidence and Preventive Measures.

asked the Minister for Health whether he will make a statement for the information of the public indicating the scope of the scheme of vaccination against poliomyelitis, which is at present made available by health authorities.

Health authorities have been authorised to make vaccination against poliomyelitis available free of charge to children aged over six months and under ten years on 1st April, 1958, whose parents or guardians cannot provide it without undue hardship irrespective of whether or not they hold a medical card. In general, it may be taken that children within the age-group mentioned whose parents or guardians are in the lower income group, and particularly those in receipt of unemployment benefit, disability benefits and similar benefits, or in whose cases the health authority have satisfactory evidence that they would be unable by reason, for example, of illness or of the number of persons dependent on them, to provide the service without undue hardship, are eligible for the service. Expectant mothers who are similarly qualified are also eligible for free vaccination. Moreover, health authorities have been asked to adopt a flexible approach in determining the eligibility of applicants.

Health authorities have also been authorised to arrange for vaccination on a contributory basis of children as above of parents in the classes mentioned in Section 15 (2) of the Health Act, 1953, viz.:—

(a) persons insured under the Social Welfare Act, 1952 (No. 11 of 1952);

(b) adult persons whose yearly means are less than 600;

(c) adult persons whose yearly means are, in the opinion of the health authority, derived wholly or mainly from farming, the rateable valuation of the farm or farms (including the buildings thereon) being £50 or less;

(d) persons not specified in the foregoing paragraphs who, in the opinion of the health authority, would be unable, without undue hardship, to provide institutional and specialist services for themselves or their dependents.

The full cost of vaccination to applicants under these arrangements is 15/- each for one or two eligible children in a family, and 10/- each for three or more eligible children. The charge for expectant mothers is 15/-.

A course of vaccination consists of three injections, the second injection being given two to four weeks after the first, and the third not less than seven months after the second.

Health authorities (viz., county councils and city corporations) are responsible for administering this service and applications should be made direct to the local offices.

asked the Minister for Health if he will state the number of persons who contracted paralytic poliomyelitis in the nine months ended 30th September, 1958; and how it compares with corresponding incidence in recent years.

The number of cases of paralytic poliomyelitis notified to my Department in the nine months ended 30th September, 1958; was 192. The corresponding incidence in the years 1950 to 1957 inclusive was: 162 in 1950, 35 in 1951, 47 in 1952, 162 in 1953, 61 in 1954, 57 in 1955, 307 in 1956 and 109 in 1957.

For the Deputy's information I might add that the number of cases notified up to 11th October last in respect of the current year was 208.

asked the Minister for Health whether, in view of his recent public recommendation of vaccination as the only effective defence against poliomyelitis, he will undertake a campaign to encourage the maximum number of vaccinations.

As the Deputy is aware, I recently arranged for the circulation of a Press statement recommending vaccination against poliomyelitis to the public. Considerable publicity has been given in the national and local Press to this statement and to earlier references to the matter both in the Dáil and elsewhere. In addition, health authorities have, in accordance with the usual practice, widely publicised their arrangements for the provision of vaccination under existing schemes. In the circumstances, I do not consider that further measures are at present necessary to bring the matter to the notice of the public. Consideration will be given in due course to the publicity measures to be taken next year.

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