Public health expert Dr Neville De Souza has warned that if immunisation rates in the South East aren’t brought back up to their former levels there will be serious disease outbreaks in the region.

The uptake of the MMR vaccine in the South East dropped by a worrying12% last year and there was a 7% drop in uptake of the combined vaccine for diphtheria, polio pertussis, Meningitis C and Hib. Dr. De Souza expressed concern at the reduced uptake of childhood vaccines at the South Eastern Health Board’s July meeting.

In a report presented to the Board’s Community Care Committee, he stressed that immunisation was the most effective way for children to be protected against diseases like measles, mumps, rubella, polio, diphtheria, tuberculosis and Meningitis C.

“Outbreaks of these diseases have been reduced considerably because of vaccination and people have forgotten how serious these diseases can be. Immunisation is the most effective and safest way for children to be protected against these diseases. When immunisation rates fall, outbreaks of these diseases occur as was evidenced by the measles outbreak in Dublin and the SEHB region in 2000.”

In an address to the Health Board meeting he added: “We now have an outbreak of whooping cough in this area. People don’t think these are serious illnesses, but those of us old enough know that polio and tuberculosis are very devastating diseases. I think it’s very important to increase the uptake of immunisation.

Dr De Souza said an immunisation uptake rate of at least 95% was required to prevent a recurrence of such diseases.