Major immunisation plan announced

Some 95 per cent of babies born from today will be immunised against a strain of meningitis under what is said to be the most extensive immunisation programme in the history of the State.

The Meningitis C Immunisation Programme was launched in Dublin yesterday by the Minister for Health and Children, Mr Martin, in conjunction with the health boards and the Office For Health Gain.

Describing the programme as a "major step forward in our efforts to combat meningitis in Ireland", the Minister stressed that meningococal infection was the most common cause of death in children and young people here up to the age of 20. Ireland has the highest incidence of the infection in Europe.

"Thankfully," he said, "vaccines have now been developed to provide long-term protection against Group C meningococal disease and it was decided in 1999 that, as soon as such vaccines were licensed in Ireland, they would be introduced."

Under the phased programme, immunisation against the Group C strain of the infection will be offered free to everyone under the age of 22 - an estimated 1.3 million people.

The targeted age groups in the first phase, which begins immediately, will be children under four and those aged 15-18 years. The vaccine will be given, with parental consent, to babies attending their GP for other vaccines, at two, four, six and 15 months, as well as to older children.

In the case of adolescents the vaccine will be administered, also with consent, by health board workers in schools. Those not in full-time education should contact their health board.

Meningitis C claimed 11 lives in Ireland last year, of 165 confirmed cases. There were between 300 and 400 cases of the Group B strain. Although there are at least 13 groups of the infection, just two of the groups account for almost all cases of meningitis in Ireland. Group B accounts for two-thirds of cases, with Group C accounting for the rest. Ireland has an unusually high incidence of Group C compared with other developed countries.

Though new to Ireland, the vaccines have been administered to over 15 million people in Britain. According to Mr Jim Keily, Chief Medical Officer with the Department of Health, none of these has had any serious adverse reaction.

As the vaccine does not protect against the Group B type, it remains important that parents and guardians are aware of the symptoms, which include vomiting, fever, severe headache, painful joints and stiff neck.