Brian Lenihan
Ceist:66 Mr. Lenihan asked the Minister for Health the proposals, if any, he has to provide support for parents of premature babies and medical cards for babies in this situation. [23899/96]
Written Answers. - Premature Baby Services.
Limerick East): A wide range of hospital and community care services are available to premature babies. Examples include high technology for resuscitation and maintaining ventilation, intensive high care costs and more frequent visits by public health nurses as the need arises.
Under the Health Act, 1970, medical cards are issued to persons who, in the opinion of the chief executive officer of the appropriate health board, are unable, without undue hardship, to provide general practitioner services for themselves and their dependants. It is open to all persons to apply to the chief executive officer of the appropriate health board for health services if they are unable to provide these services for themselves or their dependants without hardship. I am satisfied that the health boards give sympathetic consideration to such applications when the circumstances warrant it.