Measles vaccines must increase, warns GP

SERIOUS measles outbreaks – that put hundreds of children’s lives at risk – will happen every three or four years unless MMR vaccine uptakes increase dramatically, a leading specialist warned yesterday.

Temple Street Hospital paediatrician Professor Denis Gill told the Irish Medical News that Irish immunisation rates are much worse than those in poverty stricken countries such as Romania, Albania and Libya.

Cuba has a 99% uptake and Chile and the Philippines a 97% uptake, but in Ireland the rate is as low as 73%. "Our immunisation programme is a national embarrassment. An investment of 5m to 10m the equivalent of 1km of roadway would greatly enhance uptakes levels.