Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 February 2013
823. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Health the reason that newborn children in County Galway do not receive the BCG vaccination; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that every other area in the country gives the vaccination; the actions that he is taking to address the problem; if he has considered running monthly clinics to provide the vaccination; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5467/13]
View answerThe National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) recommends a universal neonatal BCG vaccination policy. Historically, BCG vaccination is given in HSE West to children in 5th/6th class in primary schools and also to infants in the 'at risk' categories. This continues with the agreement of the NIAC. The latest validated figures for epidemiology of TB in Ireland relates to 2009. In 2009, the national rate of TB was 11.3 per 100,000 of the population ranging from 5.1 in HSE West to 15.7 in HSE East. In 2012, the provisional national rate of TB incidence was 8.3 per 100,000 of the population, ranging from 5.0 in HSE South East to 11.0 in HSE South.
