Westmeath Councillor Queries Vaccine Status Of Asylum Seekers

Friday, 18 October 2024 06:50

Athlone Mayor Frankie Keena opposes a planned accommodation centre in the town.

The Mayor of Athlone is raising concerns about the health implications of a planned midlands accommodation centre in the town.

Fianna Fáil councillor Frankie Keena says he's worried about the vaccination status of the potential 1,000 male asylum seekers that are set to be accommodated in Lissywollen.

The HSE says they offer IPAs and Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection a targeted catch-up vaccination programme.

The programme commenced in early 2023, there have been 8,165 vaccines administered up to August this year, with just over 6,000 during 2024.

Mr. Keena says the HSE's response to his queries on vaccinations was unsatisfactory, like much of their handling on the immigration situation:

In a statement to Midlands 103, the HSE says:

The HSE provides vaccines in line with the recommendations of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee and Department of Health Policy.

The vaccines recommended in Ireland as part of HSE routine immunisation programs are also recommended for international protection applicants who are living in Ireland e.g. childhood immunisations, school immunisations, influenza vaccine for recommended age-groups or those at risk of complications.

IP applicants are entitled to a medical card and access health services through mainstream services. Due to the ongoing accommodation pressures with IPAS, the HSE were requested to provide an initial health response for persons being processed in the IPO offices in Mount St, Dublin.

International Protection applicants are invited to answer some health related questions in order to ascertain if immediate health service supports are required and to ensure appropriate intervention is offered.

In March 2022 the HSE in conjunction with IMO developed a framework to provide a range of options to access GP services for this population cohort via the establishment of temporary sessional clinics. These temporary clinics have had considerable usage. For example, in August this year 535 GP sessions were held, providing for 4848 consultations.

The HSE provides a targeted catch-up vaccination programme for International Protection Applicants (IPAs) and Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTP).

The programme commenced in early 2023 and reports that up to 31 August 2024, there have been 8,165 vaccines administered to International Protection Applicants, with 6016 of those being administered during 2024 (January to August 2024).