Deirdre Clune
Ceist:76 Ms Clune asked the Minister for Health and Children the steps he intends to take to improve the operation of the childhood vaccination programme and to improve the levels of uptake. [5843/02]
Written Answers. - Vaccination Programme.
The operation of the primary childhood immunisation programme is a matter in the first instance for the individual health boards, who enter into contracts with general practitioners for the delivery of the service. The objective of the programme is to achieve an uptake level of 95%. The primary childhood immunisation programme provides for the immunisation of children up to two years of age against a range of potentially serious infectious diseases. Under the programme parents may have their children immunised free of charge by the general practitioner of their choice. The schedule of immunisation is in accordance with the recommendations of the Immunisation Advisory Committee of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland.
Provisional data provided by the National Disease Surveillance Centre indicates that immunisation uptake for the period 1 January to 30 September 2001 is as follows: DTaP/DT–85%; Hib–84%; Polio–85%; MMR–75%. I am concerned about the unsatisfactory immunisation uptake rates in childhood immunisations because of the risk of unimmunised children contacting the potentially serious diseases concerned. The outbreak of measles in 2000, which resulted in three deaths and over 1,500 cases, is evidence of the consequences of insufficient immunisation uptake.
The chief executive officers of the health boards established a national immunisation steering committee to address a wide range of issues relating to the childhood and other immunisation programmes including the identification of issues which are hampering the achievement of uptake targets. The steering committee was assisted by four working groups, which examined the following areas in relation to immunisation, communication, material management, IT systems and planning and organisation. I understand that this report will be published shortly.
On a positive note, since the introduction of the national immunisation programme against group C meningococcal disease there has been a dramatic reduction in this disease in Ireland. Provisional data provided by the National Disease Surveillance Centre indicates that in 2001, 35 cases of group C disease have been notified compared to 139 cases in 2000, a reduction of 75%. The most dramatic reductions were seen in the age groups targeted by the meningitis C vaccine, ranging from a 93% reduction in five year olds to nine year olds to a 70% reduction in the ten year old to 14 year old age group. This represents a very significant reduction and highlights the importance and success of the campaign.
I would like to take this opportunity to urge all parents to have their children immunised against the diseases covered by the childhood immunisation programme in order to ensure that their children and the population generally have maximum protection against the diseases concerned. General practitioners are aware of the contraindications to the recommended childhood immunisations and parents should discuss any concerns they may have with their general practitioner before making a decision about their child's immunisation.