TB THREAT TO BABIES
Vaccines run out and kids left at risk for 3 YEARS
THOUSANDS of babies are being exposed to deadly tuberculosis because the HSE has stopped vaccinating newborns.
Bungling chiefs have failed to get a new supplier of the BCG jab after running out almost three years ago.
The North has secured a fresh provider but the HSE admitted its stock expired in April 2015 and it “continues to experience ongoing delays”. Fianna Fail TD Jack Chambers yesterday hit out at risks posed by the “disturbing” fiasco.
THE HSE has run out of tuberculosis vaccines leaving thousands of children at risk of contracting the disease.
Newborn babies are not getting the jab after the supplier ran out three years ago.
But the Irish Mirror can confirm at-risk infants in the UK and the North are getting the vaccine because authorities there have managed to source an alternative provider.
Fianna Fail TD Jack Chambers has criticised the HSE and Health Minister Simon Harris for their failure to address the vaccine shortage.
He told the Irish Mirror: “The BCG vaccine gives effective protection to 80% of infants who receive it and has been used routinely in Ireland and worldwide since the 1950s.
“The absence of the State BCG vaccination is now a growing concern for many families nationwide given the dangers posed to humans from tuberculosis and the fact that the bacterial disease remains a problem in parts of Ireland.
“I have previously noted the risks posed by leaving thousands of babies without immunisation against tuberculosis.
“It is quite disturbing that the HSE would ignore the advice of the World Health Organisation who say, ‘A safe, effective and affordable TB vaccine would represent a major advance in the control of disease’.
“We should not alter our national strategy because of a shortage of supply or any such rectifiable issue.
“We have faced supply issues since 2014 and the Health Minister must do more to ensure we are not held at ransom by this one supplier for yet another year.
“I call on the minister to clarify whether immunocompromised groups of people in need of immunisation from TB are being provided with the vaccination. The licensed supplier in the EU is
SSI Denmark, which has not been able to provide it since May 2015.
However, the Public Health Agency in the North has confirmed it is continuing to vaccinate babies that they consider may be at risk of contracting TB – which still claims on average 20 to 30 lives here annually. The health authority said its supplies are coming from Public Health England which said it had secured an alternative supplier for BCG vaccines. There are in the region of 8,000 babies born in recognised risk categories – such as members of the Traveller community and immigrants coming from countries where TB is still prevalent – here every year and none of them have been vaccinated since May 2015. Neither have any of the 100,000 other babies born in this period who are at a lower risk of contracting TB, although a risk still exists.
In the North there are up to 2,500 newborns in the risk categories every year that are being safely immunised.
Despite a widely-held belief TB has been eradicated in Ireland, statistics from the CSO show there are still double digit numbers of people dying from the disease every year.
Figures show there were 16 deaths in 2015 and 25 the previous year.
There were 23 in 2013, 27 in 2012 and 27 in 2011.
A spokesman for the HSE said: “BCG vaccine is given to protect babies against tuberculosis.
“Stock in all areas expired at the end of April 2015 and as of today, the HSE continues to experience ongoing delays with the supply of BCG vaccine. The number of cases of TB has been steadily falling in
Ireland.
“Most European countries do not give BCG vaccine to all babies.
“The Department of Health has received the NIAC and HIQA recommendations.
“The National Immunisation Advisory Committee an independent expert group on immunisation and the HIQA have both recommended that BCG vaccine does not now need to be given routinely to all babies in Ireland.
“A decision on BCG policy based on these recommendations will be determined by the Department of Health when BCG vaccine is back in stock.
“As we have had no BCG vaccine since May 2015 no children have been vaccinated since then.”
If or when supply does resume, and the Government does consider rolling back on the universality of the programme, the move would put an end to the universal BCG vaccine campaign first introduced for Irish babies in the 50s.
Absence is now a growing concern for many families
JACK CHAMBERS FIANNA FAIL