We acted quickly over meningitis warnings, says Harney

TÁNAISTE and Health Minister Mary Harney yesterday said her department acted swiftly in response to a warning of an increased incidence of meningitis in vaccinated children.

Ms Harney said her department received the recommendation about the HiB catch-up booster from the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) on August 3 and passed it on to the Health Service Executive (HSE) the following day.

"That is a very speedy reaction," she said, adding it was up to the HSE to make the vaccine available.

Ms Harney described the death of a two-year-old Co Louth boy from meningitis as a tragic case and sympathised with his parents.

An investigation into the death is being conducted by Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda but it is believed the boy died despite being vaccinated against the bacterium haemophilus influenzae.

Meanwhile, the HSE says 48,000 doses of the booster HiB vaccine will be in the country early next month as part of a fast-track tender process. The vaccine will then be distributed to GPs.

The HSE expects to receive a second batch in December and a further batch in the New Year.

It believes the three batches will be enough to meet national requirements.

The cost of the campaign is put at e10 million.

The HSE said parents of children in the "appropriate age group" will be contacted informing them that the catch-up booster vaccine will be available and how to get their child vaccinated.

The HSE also said it was important to keep in mind that since 1996, about 450,000 children have been vaccinated against HiB disease in Ireland and that just 38 acquired the disease despite being vaccinated.

A spokesperson said a full publicity campaign would run next month encouraging parents to take their children to their GP for the vaccination when invited. This would be followed by a personal invite.

The campaign is expected to last three to four months and plans are still in the process of being firmed up.

Irish College of General Practitioners spokesman Dr Niall Ó Cléirigh advised parents to be aware of symptoms of the disease.

"If you get a combination of high temperature, drowsiness, headache, neck stiffness or vomiting, those are serious symptoms that should be checked out by a doctor," he said.

Q & A

Q: Should my child get the booster HiB vaccine?

A: Even GPs cannot answer that yet. But they are urging parents to stay calm and to wait until the Health Service Executive (HSE) launches their campaign.

Q: How will the HSE inform parents about the booster?

A: As well as mounting a publicity campaign, the HSE will be sending letters to parents with children considered in the risk category.

Q: What children are in the at-risk group?

A: It is likely that children up to five years are in this group.

Q: But isn't a child who has been given the five-in-one vaccination protected against HiB?

A: Yes, and that injection that offers protection against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough (pertussis), polio and HiB is recommended when your child is two, four and six months old. But the child may need a booster jab to protect him through the at-risk period from six months to five years.