WHO highlights importance of vaccines

‘Vaccine hesitancy’ is now listed by the World Health Organisation as a key threat to global health, said Fianna Fail health spokesperson Stephen Donnelly.

“It is a sad indictment that the reluctance or refusal to vaccinate despite the availability of vaccines is now a growing threat to health in 2019.

Just last week, following a measles outbreak in Donegal, the HSE confirmed that the number of children in Donegal being vaccinated has been dropping slightly over the past few years.

“We know that as soon as vaccination rates fall, old diseases re-emerge and this is why measles outbreaks are occurring across Ireland and Europe with more frequency at the moment,” said Donnelly.

“Vaccination is one of the most effective ways of avoiding disease. It currently prevents 2-3 million deaths a year and a further 1.5 million could be avoided if global coverage of vaccinations improved. In the era of fake news and alternative facts, we need to ensure that the correct information is getting through.

“We are poor in Ireland at preventative public health — but we must not allow vaccine hesitancy take hold in this country,” concluded the Fianna Fail health spokesperson.

“The Minister must up the ante on public awareness campaigns and ramp up efforts to play our part in eliminating vaccine-preventable diseases worldwide.”