John Perry
Question:38 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Health and Children if his Department will step up the national campaign for childhood immunisation. [5520/01]
Written Answers. - Vaccination Programme.
Emmet Stagg
Question:87 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will make a statement on the progress to date of the meningitis vaccination campaign. [5968/01]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 38 and 87 together.
The primary childhood immunisation programme provides for the immunisation of children under two years of age against a number of serious infectious diseases. The present arrangements were introduced in 1995 and involve general practitioners entering into a contract with their local health board for the delivery of the programme. Under the programme parents may have their children immunised free of charge by the general practitioner of their choice.
Operational responsibility for the primary childhood immunisation programme lies with the individual health boards, which have appropriate regional and local management structures in place to manage the delivery of the immunisation programme. My Department also monitors the operation of the programme nationally.
I am concerned at the immunisation uptake rates in the primary childhood immunisation programme which are still below the target of 95%. My Department is in regular contact with the health boards at a senior level about the issues which need to be addressed in order to meet the target. Last year the Office for Health Gain organised a number of campaigns to promote the MMR vaccine and the Meningococcal C vaccine. A National Steering Committee has been established, under the chairmanship of the chief executive officer of the Southern Health Board, and in a systematic way this will identify and address the difficulties which are hampering achievement of the uptake target. The committee will also consider the question of future immunisation campaigns. The committee is due to have its first meeting early in March.
The Meningococcal C immunisation programme commenced in October 2000 with the objective of immunising the population up to 22 years of age. Phase 1 of the programme is targeting those at greatest risk i.e. children under five years and young persons aged 15 to 18 years. While it is as yet too early to establish the precise level of uptake being achieved in relation to the Meningococcal C vaccine, preliminary indications are that uptake is generally good. However, uptake in the third-level population is not satisfactory and initiatives to target this group including a poster campaign are currently under way. The health boards are currently planning Phase 2 of the programme, which will commence as soon as Phase 1 has been completed. This will target children of primary school age, with priority being given to those aged five to six years. This will be followed by the third phase which will address the remaining sections of the target population.