asked the Minister for Health the number of children provided with free treatment against poliomyelitis in the past 12 months.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Free Treatment against Poliomyelitis.
5.
I presume that, in line with the Deputy's question of 2nd June last, the reference to free treatment is to free vaccination.
The number of children under 17 years who completed a course of three injections against poliomyelitis under health authorities' free schemes in the year ended 30th June, 1964, the latest period of a year for which complete figures are available in my Department, was 12,280. In addition a further 12,433 children in this age-group received a fourth (booster) injection during the year. Apart from these, a considerable number of children who had not completed the full course of vaccinations received one or two injections under the free scheme in the year.
I might add that, as already announced, a scheme of oral vaccination against poliomyelitis, which will be available without charge to all children between the ages of six months and eighteen years, will commence towards the end of next month. Having regard to the ease of administration of the oral vaccine, on lumps of sugar or in syrup, as against administration by injection under the present scheme, it may be presumed that much greater numbers will avail themselves of this protection against poliomyelitis in the near future.