asked the Minister for Health the reason the level of measles immunisation has dropped from 95 per cent to 45 per cent nationally; the dangers of this; if he will indicate the areas of the country and categories of children in respect of which the greatest fall in the level of immunisation has occurred, and if he will indicate his proposals to remedy this situation both nationally, and with particular reference to the North Eastern Health Board region.
Written Answers. - Measles Immunisation.
205.
The Measles Campaign which ran from 1 October 1985 to 31 March, 1986 required a particular concentration of effort and resources and achieved a national uptake of 95 per cent. In this context, the number of cases of measles notified to my Department was 9,903 in 1985, 451 in 1986 and 201 in 1987. Following the campaign, routine immunisation of children aged 15 months was introduced and the uptake for this category is now approximately 45 per cent, ranging from 28 per cent in parts of Dublin to 82 per cent in Clare. The current uptake figure for the North Eastern Health Board area is 45 per cent. If this level of uptake were to continue, eradication of the disease would not be achieved and cases of measles would continue to occur with consequent illness and suffering and, in some cases, long term disabilities.
I am conscious of the need for a high level of measles immunisation and, in an effort to increase the current uptake level, my Department has held meetings with the Directors of Community Care and Medical Officers of Health, and with the Irish Medical Organisation, who have been asked to make special efforts to promote measles vaccination. A major cause which has been identified for the drop in the uptake of measles vaccination, is the perception among parents that measles is not a serious disease and their resultant failure to bring their children for vaccination. The health boards notify parents routinely to bring their children for vaccination at age 15 months and if the objective of eradication of the disease is to be achieved a constant 95 per cent uptake must be maintained. Arrangements to promote the vaccine and to encourage parents to have their children vaccinated need to be intensified at local level.
My Department will be contacting the health boards shortly with a view towards putting in place the arrangements necessary to achieve and maintain an uptake of 95 per cent. The North Eastern Health Board will be part of these overall arrangements.