Meningitis vaccines still unavailable in Republic

The Meningitis Research Foundation is pressing the government to make available a new vaccination to protect children against one of the most dangerous strains of the virus.

The vaccination against pneumococcal meningitis is available in the North, but is unavailable in the Republic due to its high cost.

Spokesperson for the foundation Clodagh Brennock said she hopes the vaccine will be introduced soon as part of the Childhood Routine Immunisation Programme.

“It's been sitting with the National Immunisation Advisory Committee for more than three years,” she said “We're really hoping they will introduce it sometime in the next year.”