Immunization of Children Act Bill passed

After much debate within recent times, a Bill to amend the Immunization of Children Act successfully went through all its stages and was passed in the House of Assembly last Tuesday, April 5.{{more}}

The amendment adds to the list of vaccine preventable diseases, Hepatitis B and Haemopilus Influenzae.

Cecil McKie, Minister of Heath, Wellness and the Environment, said that during the debate stage of the process that it was important to implement changes to the Bill as it provided equitable health services to the population.

“It is our responsibility to ensure service is delivered,” McKie said, adding that in the former days various ailments brought with it challenges.

It was with these challenges that the pioneers in the science field set out to bring about a solution and the concept of immunization was borne.

“We cannot take the health of our children for granted,” the minister continued.

He added that the government needed to be responsible in its actions and to provide protection measures.

McKie also noted the importance of the process of immunization, saying that it was now a necessity.

Dr Douglas Slater, Senator and former Minister of Health, joined in the debate giving members of the House a description of the severity of both diseases, saying that the likely end result if not treated was death.

“Any measure to prevent these should be strongly supported,” Slater contended.

“We cannot allow people who belong to religious fanatic groups, who in my opinion are infected with some gross ignorance to scientific fact, speak nonsense,” he continued.

According to Slater, although there was a problem with one batch of vaccines during the 1918 outbreak of swine flu, this was a rare occurrence.

He also referred to the recent study conducted by a British physician Dr Andrew Wakefield who had concluded that the Mumps, Measles and Rubella (MMR) vaccine had a direct link to autism.

This was, however, proven inaccurate, and, according to Slater, resulted in the deaths of children who would have otherwise been immunized.

“We cannot afford for that to happen here in St Vincent and the Grenadines,” Slater contended. (DD)