asked the Minister for Health whether it is proposed to extend the age groups eligible for free vaccination against poliomyelitis under public health schemes and, if so, to which age groups; and if he will state in respect of the eligible age groups (a) the total number of children vaccinated under the most recent polio vaccination scheme, (b) the total number of children in those groups and (c) of the total number of children who were (i) vaccinated and (ii) not vaccinated, the number who contracted polio in each case.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Polio Vaccination Scheme.
It is proposed in the near future to authorise health authorities to provide vaccination against poliomyelitis for certain categories in the lower income group, viz., children over six months and under ten years of age, and pregnant women.
The total number of children over one and under five years of age who received their first two injections of the vaccination course under schemes operated by health authorities up to 31st December, 1957, was 37,918. The total number of children in these groups is 249,275.
No child vaccinated under the health authorities' schemes contracted poliomyelitis. The number of unvaccinated children in the eligible age groups who contracted poliomyelitis in the half-year following the introduction of vaccination was 24.
Would the Minister state what the Government's policy is in regard to children who do not come within the one to five years of age group? Is it consistent with due provision being made for them, for individual children outside that group to be inoculated, or would such private inoculation interfere with the availability of serum for the one to five year old group?
It would be of great convenience to the Minister if the Deputy would put one supplementary at a time. I wish to say, however, that in so far as the existing age groups were settled last year, the size of the group was determined entirely by the availability of the vaccine. An announcement will be made in due course in relation to next year's programme.
I do not think the Minister has got my point. I appreciate that the vaccination was confined to a group of 1-5, as a result of the availability of serum. Now, all I am asking is: suppose an individual parent seeks to get serum from abroad to have a child outside that age group vaccinated, does that cut across the Minister's plans for dealing with the widest age group he can deal with, with the available serum; or does it not? In short, should a parent get his child vaccinated outside that age group, would it interfere with the availability of vaccine for the age group to which the Minister has referred?
My information is that supplies will be reasonably available to private persons.
asked the Minister for Health if he will state to what extent anti-poliomyelitis vaccine of the Salk type is available to this country, what supply is now on hands and whether this supply is sufficient to meet medical requirements.
The holder of an appropriate licence under the Therapeutic Substances Act, 1932, may import poliomyelitis vaccine without restriction as to quantity. Licence holders are not required to notify me of the consignments imported or the quantities which may be held in stock from time to time. I understand, however, that adequate supplies of vaccine of the Salk type will be available to meet current and future demands.