Parents 'fearful' as HSE redeployment holds up school immunisation scheme

‘UNACCEPTABLE’: Fine Gael TD Charlie Flanagan. Photo: Gareth Chaney/Collins

Rodney Edwards

December 13 2020 02:30 AM

A vaccination programme for school children in Laois, Offaly, Westmeath and Longford has been suspended after 100 HSE staff were redeployed to carry out Covid-19 test and tracing duties.

The roll-out of the programme was paused by the HSE last month and children in both primary and secondary schools in the Midlands have not received essential vaccines aimed at preventing measles, mumps and rubella, as well as cervical cancer in later life.

Parent Fiona Phelan, from Co Laois, says her five-year-old daughter Caoimhe is one of those impacted by the suspension of the programme, which is continuing in other areas.

"I am very anxious at the moment," she said. "I don't think it's fair this has taken a back seat when other bordering counties are getting it."

Ms Phelan suffered a brain tumour as a child after contracting meningitis, the very disease she hoped the vaccination programme would protect her daughter from.

"It is disgraceful that kids are suffering because this has been put on hold," she added.

Jane Doherty, another parent, is "very frustrated" that her five-year-old son Tadhg has not yet been vaccinated, claiming if she lived in Co Tipperary, 20 minutes away, "he would have had it".

"I am fearful that he could now catch something," she said.

Fine Gael TD Charlie Flanagan has obtained information from the Department of Health which shows 100 HSE staff working in primary care have been redeployed to deal with the pandemic, compared with 13 in Galway, Roscommon, and Mayo.

"It is unacceptable that the redeployment has been skewed in such a way as to disadvantage the midlands," Mr Flanagan said. "This may well endanger the health and welfare of these children."

A spokesman for the HSE confirmed the programme has been deferred twice during 2020 before being resumed in June where a catch-up exercise "ensured that everyone who was offered school immunisation for school year 2019/20 had been offered their relevant vaccination".

In late August, "it proved necessary" to defer the programme for 2020/21 "so as to allow staff to be redeployed to support Covid-19 work and other competing demands, in particular the exponential increase in testing demands". This resulted in testing for the HSE Midlands Louth Meath area increasing from 8,454 tests in August to 37,435 in October.

"There is no suggestion that those who are targeted for the School Immunisation 2020/21 will not have their necessary vaccinations fully completed by summer 2021, in line with all areas in the country," said the HSE spokesman.

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