Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 6 Dec 2001

Vol. 546 No. 1

Written Answers. - Asylum Seekers.

Róisín Shortall

Ceist:

116 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will report on the health screening programmes provided for asylum seekers; the precise nature of these programmes; the number of persons screened each year for the past five years; his views on the adequacy of these programmes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31282/01]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

Since May 2000 communicable disease screening is offered on a voluntary basis to asylum seekers as part of the initial reception process during their stay at reception centres in Dublin. This service is offered in the interests of the asylum seekers themselves, their families and the community generally. Health boards outside the ERHA area were requested to ensure that screening is offered to asylum seekers accommodated in their area and who have not availed of screening during their stay in Dublin.

The approach adopted in relation to communicable disease screening for asylum seekers was reviewed recently by the national advisory committee in relation to public health aspects of screening for asylum seekers and amended guidelines were prepared and issued in September 2001. These guidelines recommend that screening be offered for tuberculosis, hepatitis B, polio and varicella zoster – chickenpox. The guidelines do not preclude other investigations deemed necessary on clinical or public health grounds.

With regard to immunisation, the guidelines recommend that the immunisation status of asylum seekers should be determined and that where indicated, vaccination against the diseases covered by the childhood immunisation programme should be provided. Figures provided by the Northern Area Health Board, on behalf of the ERHA, indicate that the number of asylum seekers screened at reception centres in the last five years is as follows.

Year	Number Screened
1997	No figures available*
1998	2,201
1999	2,951
2000	3,745
2001	**3,785**

*Screening in 1997 only commenced centrally in mid-December. No statistics are available for this month.

**Up to week ending 23/11/01.

It should also be noted that these figures do not include the routine screening carried out on pregnant asylum seekers in maternity hospitals or screening carried out by the other boards around the country. I am satisfied that voluntary screening services provided to asylum seekers meet the requirements of the guidelines in relation to communicable disease screening.