In the latest outbreak of measles, 10 children in the Athenry area of Co Galway have contracted the infectious disease. The Western Health Board has urged all parents to ensure that their children receive the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine.
The outbreak follows a similar episode involving 24 children in the Tuam area of Co Galway last year. Immunisation rates have been falling nationally.
The latest figures for the Western Health Board show an uptake of only 74 per cent for the MMR vaccine. The minimum level of vaccination required to prevent outbreaks of measles and other infectious diseases is 95 per cent.
Meanwhile, a review of childhood immunisation programmes in the Eastern Regional Health Authority has found a disturbing drop in the uptake of MMR vaccine in 2001. The uptake rate for children at 24 months dropped by 21 per cent.
The review noted a drop in the rate of children receiving all primary immunisation at ages 12 and 24 months. This reflected a national trend and was influenced by negative media coverage of the MMR vaccine in particular.
The report's recommendations include:
The appointment of a specialist in public health medicine with special responsibility for immunisation in the region to ensure an appropriate strategic approach exists.
The appointment of an immunisation co-ordinator to each area health board who will take overall responsibility for planning, monitoring and evaluation of vaccination programmes.
Ensuring that all GPs are provided with lists of children requiring vaccination.
Specifically targeting geographic "black spots" - areas where vaccination rates are especially low.
Updated figures to be produced on a regular basis and disseminated to all involved in the immunisation schemes.
Ongoing training of staff working on the immunisation surveillance system to be prioritised.
The review suggests back-to-school campaigns should be launched to promote the benefits of childhood immunisation both for primary pupils and booster programmes for older children.
It also recommends each child be provided with a unique identifier and parent-held immunisation records be introduced as soon as possible.
Some community care areas within the three area health boards in the Eastern Region had MMR uptake rates as low as 45 per cent in 2001. The authors of the review note "these low uptake rates greatly increase the risk of an outbreak of measles".
The lowest vaccine uptake was in Dublin's south inner city and the north-western suburbs of the capital.
According to Dr Marie Lafoy, director of public health in the ERHA, of those who contract measles one in 15 will develop complications such as middle ear infection and one in 1,000 will get encephalitis (brain inflammation). "For every 1,000 children who get measles one will die from the infection," she said.
A severe outbreak of measles affecting 1,230 children, occurred in the Eastern Region in 2000. It led to three deaths and just over 350 hospital admissions.