IRELAND HAS EFFECTIVELY succeeded in eliminating endemic rubella according to the HSE.
A report seen by James Fogarty of The Medical Independent shows that there were no confirmed cases of the disease between 2010 and 2012. The document did however say that there was “one probable case in 2012 which was imported”.
The World Health Organisation has a stated target of eliminating measles in Europe by 2015. For this to be confirmed each state is required to provide reports to the WHO every year from 2012 for progress to be evaluated.
A spokesperson for the HSE confirmed to The Medical Independent that their latest report confirms that the executive is on its way to that goal by eliminating cases of German measles over the last number of years. “Ireland has met the WHO definition for the elimination of rubella as there have been no confirmed domestic cases reported between 2010-2012”.
Details on MMR uptake data for at high risk groups such as refugees and migrants were not included in a report to the WHO however . According to the report, no data was available for these groups, which included Roma, refugees and migrants.
“Collecting information on minority groups is not currently a function of the local immunisation databases,” said a spokesperson for the HSE. “This may be included in the national immunisation system. However, the HSE and HPSC (Health Protection and Surveillance Centre) collects data on the county of origin.”
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