Calls to speed up purchase of monkeypox vaccines amid fears over slow rollout

There have been calls to prioritise securing a supply of monkeypox vaccines in Ireland. Picture: Alain Jocard, Pool via AP

The Government needs to urgently buy monkeypox vaccines, and work with community groups to ensure a transparent rollout, the Gay Health Network has said.

The Gay Health Network (GHN) said they are now “extremely concerned about the slow roll-out of the monkeypox vaccine in Ireland”.

“While GHN understands that the numbers of vaccines are currently ‘low and limited’, we do urge the Government, in particular the Department of Health, to prioritise this public health emergency,” the advocacy group said on Monday.

“While monkeypox continues to spread in the community, anxiety levels remain high. Especially in light of large-scale rollouts currently happening in the UK, the need for a clear plan, timeline, and approach for the monkeypox vaccine roll-out to be communicated is now essential.” 

GHN secretary Bill Foley said the community of gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men in Ireland has benefitted from a good information campaign.

Monkeypox is identified by lesions on the body. Picture: PA

“We are therefore in a good position to self-identify as at risk and priority for vaccination,” he said.

“We would call on the HSE to roll out the vaccine programme on this basis. 

Providing vaccination early on in a potential epidemic is essential in preventing its spread.

“We call on the HSE to invest in a vaccine programme that in the long term provides a vaccine to all those who need it.” 

The HSE has started vaccinating close contacts, but there is growing frustration at the pace.

GHN, represented on the national incident management team by the man2man programme with the HSE, said they want the State to continue working with community groups — particularly around identifying high-risk groups.

“Additionally, we ask that those who self-identify as most at risk, outside of the HSE model, be given the opportunity to obtain the vaccine at the earliest possible opportunity,” a spokesperson said.

They want organisations advocating on behalf of communities of gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men consulted in the process.