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Dail no Nog welcomes vaccination programme

Friday, 05 February 2010

A NATIONAL parliament for young people has welcomed the decision by Minister for Health, Mary Harney, to introduce the cervical cancer vaccination programme for 12-year-old girls. The Dáil na nÓg Council, whose members are aged 12-18, has been working on the issue for the last 10 months. The top recommendation voted by delegates at Dáil na nÓg in February 2009 was that the cervical cancer vaccine should be made available free of charge for all 12-18-year-old girls. In the last 10 months, the council has engaged with a number of key policy makers and stakeholders including the chief medical officer at the Department of Health and Children, the drug companies that manufacture the cervical cancer vaccine and the national co-ordinators for the Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) programme and Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE). Following the decision, Fine Gael’s spokesperson on health, James Reilly (FG), said he wholeheartedly welcomed the vaccination programme and the announcement of a National Colorectal Screening Service. “It is not often that I have cause to commend the Health Minister but I am happy to do so without reservation on her announcement,” stated Deputy Reilly.   “The programme was wrongly cancelled in November 2008. A wrong has been righted and lives will be saved as a result of this initiative. “It was always my view that this vital health measure could be introduced affordably through negotiation with the pharmaceutical companies and I am glad to see that this has now come to pass.” Deputy Reilly added: “I am also on record as offering the minister my support for the roll-out of a National Colorectal Screening Service which is an important component in any strategy to prevent disease. “I look forward to further detail on this programme and to its extension beyond the limited age range envisaged for its initial stages.”